Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that no gratuitous grace is directed to the working of miracles. For every grace puts something in the one to whom it is given (Cf. 1.2, Question 90, Article 1). Now the working of miracles puts nothing in the soul of the man who receives it since miracles are wrought at the touch even of a dead body. Thus we read (4 Kgs. 13:21) that "some . . . cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet." Therefore the working of miracles does not belong to a gratuitous grace.

Objection 2: Further, the gratuitous graces are from the Holy Ghost, according to 1 Cor. 12:4, "There are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit." Now the working of miracles is effected even by the unclean spirit, according to Mt. 24:24, "There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders." Therefore it would seem that the working of miracles does not belong to a gratuitous grace.

Objection 3: Further, miracles are divided into "signs," "wonders" or "portents," and "virtues." . Therefore it is unreasonable to reckon the "working of miracles" a gratuitous grace, any more than the "working of signs" and "wonders."

Objection 4: Further, the miraculous restoring to health is done by the power of God. Therefore the grace of healing should not be distinguished from the working of miracles.

Objection 5: Further, the working of miracles results from faith---either of the worker, according to 1 Cor. 13:2, "If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains," or of other persons for whose sake miracles are wrought, according to Mt. 13:58, "And He wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief." Therefore, if faith be reckoned a gratuitous grace, it is superfluous to reckon in addition the working of signs as another gratuitous grace.

On the contrary, The Apostle (1 Cor. 12:9,10) says that among other gratuitous graces, "to another" is given "the grace of healing . . . to another, the working of miracles."

I answer that, As stated above (Question 177, Article 1), the Holy Ghost provides sufficiently for the Church in matters profitable unto salvation, to which purpose the gratuitous graces are directed. Now just as the knowledge which a man receives from God needs to be brought to the knowledge of others through the gift of tongues and the grace of the word, so too the word uttered needs to be confirmed in order that it be rendered credible. This is done by the working of miracles, according to Mk. 16:20, "And confirming the word with signs that followed": and reasonably so. For it is natural to man to arrive at the intelligible truth through its sensible effects. Wherefore just as man led by his natural reason is able to arrive at some knowledge of God through His natural effects, so is he brought to a certain degree of supernatural knowledge of the objects of faith by certain supernatural effects which are called miracles. Therefore the working of miracles belongs to a gratuitous grace.

Reply to Objection 1: Just as prophecy extends to whatever can be known supernaturally, so the working of miracles extends to all things that can be done supernaturally; the cause whereof is the divine omnipotence which cannot be communicated to any creature. Hence it is impossible for the principle of working miracles to be a quality abiding as a habit in the soul. On the other hand, just as the prophet's mind is moved by divine inspiration to know something supernaturally, so too is it possible for the mind of the miracle worker to be moved to do something resulting in the miraculous effect which God causes by His power. Sometimes this takes place after prayer, as when Peter raised to life the dead Tabitha (Acts 9:40): sometimes without any previous prayer being expressed, as when Peter by upbraiding the lying Ananias and Saphira delivered them to death (Acts 5:4,9). Hence Gregory says (Dial. ii, 30) that "the saints work miracles, sometimes by authority, sometimes by prayer." In either case, however, God is the principal worker, for He uses instrumentally either man's inward movement, or his speech, or some outward action, or again the bodily contact of even a dead body. Thus when Josue had said as though authoritatively (Josue 10:12): "Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon," it is said afterwards (Josue 10:14): "There was not before or after so long a day, the Lord obeying the voice of a man."

Reply to Objection 2: Our Lord is speaking there of the miracles to be wrought at the time of Antichrist, of which the Apostle says (2 Thess. 2:9) that the coming of Antichrist will be "according to the working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders." To quote the words of Augustine (De Civ. Dei xx, 19), "it is a matter of debate whether they are called signs and lying wonders, because he will deceive the senses of mortals by imaginary visions, in that he will seem to do what he does not, or because, though they be real wonders, they will seduce into falsehood them that believe." They are said to be real, because the things themselves will be real, just as Pharaoh's magicians made real frogs and real serpents; but they will not be real miracles, because they will be done by the power of natural causes, as stated in the 1, Question 114, Article 4; whereas the working of miracles which is ascribed to a gratuitous grace, is done by God's power for man's profit.

Reply to Objection 3: Two things may be considered in miracles. One is that which is done: this is something surpassing the faculty of nature, and in this respect miracles are called "virtues." The other thing is the purpose for which miracles are wrought, namely the manifestation of something supernatural, and in this respect they are commonly called "signs": but on account of some excellence they receive the name of "wonder" or "prodigy," as showing something from afar .

Reply to Objection 4: The "grace of healing" is mentioned separately, because by its means a benefit, namely bodily health, is conferred on man in addition to the common benefit bestowed in all miracles, namely the bringing of men to the knowledge of God.

Reply to Objection 5: The working of miracles is ascribed to faith for two reasons. First, because it is directed to the confirmation of faith, secondly, because it proceeds from God's omnipotence on which faith relies. Nevertheless, just as besides the grace of faith, the grace of the word is necessary that people may be instructed in the faith, so too is the grace of miracles necessary that people may be confirmed in their faith.

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod nulla gratia gratis data ordinetur ad miracula facienda. Omnis enim gratia ponit aliquid in eo cui datur. Sed operatio miraculorum non ponit aliquid in anima hominis cui datur, quia etiam ad tactum corporis mortui miracula fiunt; sicut legitur IV Reg. XIII, quod quidam proiecerunt cadaver in sepulcro elisei, quod cum tetigisset ossa elisei, revixit homo et stetit super pedes suos.

Ergo operatio miraculorum non pertinet ad gratiam gratis datam.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, gratiae gratis datae sunt a spiritu sancto, secundum illud I ad Cor. XII, divisiones gratiarum sunt, idem autem spiritus.

Sed operatio miraculorum fit etiam a spiritu immundo, secundum illud Matth. XXIV, surgent pseudochristi et pseudoprophetae, et dabunt signa et prodigia magna.

Ergo videtur quod operatio miraculorum non pertineat ad gratiam gratis datam.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, miracula distinguuntur per signa et prodigia sive portenta, et per virtutes.

Inconvenienter ergo ponitur operatio virtutum potius gratia gratis data quam operatio prodigiorum sive signorum.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, miraculosa reparatio sanitatis per divinam virtutem fit.

Ergo non debet distingui gratia sanitatum ab operatione virtutum.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, operatio miraculorum consequitur fidem, vel facientis, secundum illud I ad Cor. XIII, si habuero omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferam; sive etiam aliorum, propter quos miracula fiunt, unde dicitur Matth. XIII, et non fecit ibi virtutes multas, propter incredulitatem illorum.

Si ergo fides ponitur gratia gratis data, superfluum est praeter hoc ponere aliam gratiam gratis datam operationem signorum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod apostolus, I ad Cor. XII, inter alias gratias gratis datas, dicit, alii datur gratia sanitatum, alii operatio virtutum.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, spiritus sanctus sufficienter providet ecclesiae in his quae sunt utilia ad salutem, ad quod ordinantur gratiae gratis datae.

Sicut autem oportet quod notitia quam quis divinitus accipit, in notitiam aliorum deducatur per donum linguarum et per gratiam sermonis; ita necesse est quod sermo prolatus confirmetur, ad hoc quod credibilis fiat. Hoc autem fit per operationem miraculorum, secundum illud marci ult., et sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis.

Et hoc rationabiliter. Naturale enim est homini ut veritatem intelligibilem per sensibiles effectus deprehendat. Unde sicut ductu naturalis rationis homo pervenire potest in aliquam dei notitiam per effectus naturales, ita per aliquos supernaturales effectus, qui miracula dicuntur, in aliquam supernaturalem cognitionem credendorum homo adducitur. Et ideo operatio miraculorum pertinet ad gratiam gratis datam.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, sicut prophetia se extendit ad omnia quae supernaturaliter cognosci possunt, ita operatio virtutum se extendit ad omnia quae supernaturaliter fieri possunt. Quorum quidem causa est divina omnipotentia, quae nulli creaturae communicari potest. Et ideo impossibile est quod principium operandi miracula sit aliqua qualitas habitualiter manens in anima. Sed tamen hoc potest contingere, quod sicut mens prophetae movetur ex inspiratione divina ad aliquid supernaturaliter cognoscendum, ita etiam mens miracula facientis moveatur ad faciendum aliquid ad quod sequitur effectus miraculi, quod deus sua virtute facit. Quod quandoque quidem fit praecedente oratione, sicut cum Petrus tabitham mortuam suscitavit, ut habetur Act. IX, quandoque etiam non praecedente manifesta oratione, sed deo ad nutum hominis operante, sicut Petrus Ananiam et Saphiram mentientes morti increpando tradidit, ut dicitur Act. V. Unde Gregorius dicit, in II dialog., quod sancti aliquando ex potestate, aliquando exhibent miracula ex postulatione.

Utrolibet tamen modo deus principaliter operatur, qui utitur instrumentaliter vel interiori motu hominis, vel eius locutione, vel etiam aliquo exteriori, actu, seu etiam aliquo contactu corporali corporis, etiam mortui.

Unde iosue X, cum iosue dixisset, quasi ex potestate, sol, contra gabaon non movearis, subditur postea, non fuit antea et post tam longa dies, obediente deo voci hominis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod ibi loquitur dominus de miraculis quae fienda sunt tempore Antichristi, de quibus apostolus dicit, II ad thessal. II, quod adventus Antichristi erit secundum operationem Satanae, in omni virtute et signis et prodigiis mendacibus.

Et sicut Augustinus dicit, XX de CIV. Dei, ambigi solet utrum propterea dicta sint signa et prodigia mendacii quoniam mortales sensus per phantasmata decepturus est, ut quod non facit, facere videatur, an quia illa, etiam si erunt vera prodigia, ad mendacium pertrahent.

Vera autem dicuntur, quia ipsae res verae erunt, sicut magi Pharaonis fecerunt veras ranas et veros serpentes. Non autem habebunt veram rationem miraculi, quia fient virtute naturalium causarum, sicut in prima parte dictum est.

Sed operatio miraculorum quae attribuitur gratiae gratis datae, fit virtute divina, ad hominum utilitatem.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod in miraculis duo possunt attendi.

Unum quidem est id quod fit, quod quidem est aliquid excedens facultatem naturae. Et secundum hoc, miracula dicuntur virtutes.

Aliud est id propter quod miracula fiunt, scilicet ad manifestandum aliquid supernaturale. Et secundum hoc, communiter dicuntur signa, propter excellentiam autem, dicuntur portenta vel prodigia, quasi procul aliquid ostendentia.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod gratia sanitatum commemoratur seorsum, quia per eam confertur homini aliquod beneficium, scilicet corporalis sanitatis, praeter beneficium commune quod exhibetur in omnibus miraculis, ut scilicet homines adducantur in dei notitiam.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod operatio miraculorum attribuitur fidei propter duo. Primo quidem, quia ordinatur ad fidei confirmationem.

Secundo, quia procedit ex dei omnipotentia, cui fides innititur.

Et tamen, sicut praeter gratiam fidei necessaria est gratia sermonis ad fidei instructionem, ita etiam necessaria est operatio miraculorum ad fidei confirmationem.