Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the religious state is more perfect than that of prelates. For our Lord said (Mt. 19:21): "If thou wilt be perfect, go" and "sell" all "thou hast, and give to the poor"; and religious do this. But bishops are not bound to do so; for it is said (XII, qu. i, can. Episcopi de rebus): "Bishops, if they wish, may bequeath to their heirs their personal or acquired property, and whatever belongs to them personally." Therefore religious are in a more perfect state than bishops.

Objection 2: Further, perfection consists more especially in the love of God than in the love of our neighbor. Now the religious state is directly ordered to the love of God, wherefore it takes its name from "service and homage to God," as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. vi); whereas the bishop's state would seem to be ordered to the love of our neighbor, of whose cure he is the "warden," and from this he takes his name, as Augustine observes (De Civ. Dei. xix, 19). Therefore it would seem that the religious state is more perfect than that of bishops.

Objection 3: Further, the religious state is directed to the contemplative life, which is more excellent than the active life to which the episcopal state is directed. For Gregory says (Pastor. i, 7) that "Isaias wishing to be of profit to his neighbor by means of the active life desired the office of preaching, whereas Jeremias, who was fain to hold fast to the love of his Creator, exclaimed against being sent to preach." Therefore it would seem that the religious state is more perfect than the episcopal state.

On the contrary, It is not lawful for anyone to pass from a more excellent to a less excellent state; for this would be to look back . Yet a man may pass from the religious to the episcopal state, for it is said (XVIII, qu. i, can. Statutum) that "the holy ordination makes a monk to be a bishop." Therefore the episcopal state is more perfect than the religious.

I answer that, As Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. xii, 16), "the agent is ever more excellent than the patient." Now in the genus of perfection according to Dionysius (Eccl. Hier. v, vi), bishops are in the position of "perfecters," whereas religious are in the position of being "perfected"; the former of which pertains to action, and the latter to passion. Whence it is evident that the state of perfection is more excellent in bishops than in religious.

Reply to Objection 1: Renunciation of one's possessions may be considered in two ways. First, as being actual: and thus it is not essential, but a means, to perfection, as stated above (Article 3). Hence nothing hinders the state of perfection from being without renunciation of one's possessions, and the same applies to other outward practices. Secondly, it may be considered in relation to one's preparedness, in the sense of being prepared to renounce or give away all: and this belongs directly to perfection. Hence Augustine says (De Questions. Evang. ii, qu. 11): "Our Lord shows that the children of wisdom understand righteousness to consist neither in eating nor in abstaining, but in bearing want patiently." Wherefore the Apostle says (Phil. 4:12): "I know . . . both to abound and to suffer need." Now bishops especially are bound to despise all things for the honor of God and the spiritual welfare of their flock, when it is necessary for them to do so, either by giving to the poor of their flock, or by suffering "with joy the being stripped of" their "own goods" .

Reply to Objection 2: That bishops are busy about things pertaining to the love of their neighbor, arises out of the abundance of their love of God. Hence our Lord asked Peter first of all whether he loved Him, and afterwards committed the care of His flock to him. And Gregory says (Pastor. i, 5): "If the pastoral care is a proof of love, he who refuses to feed God's flock, though having the means to do so, is convicted of not loving the supreme Pastor." And it is a sign of greater love if a man devotes himself to others for his friend's sake, than if he be willing only to serve his friend.

Reply to Objection 3: As Gregory says (Pastor. ii, 1), "a prelate should be foremost in action, and more uplifted than others in contemplation," because it is incumbent on him to contemplate, not only for his own sake, but also for the purpose of instructing others. Hence Gregory applies (Hom. v in Ezech.) the words of Ps. 144:7, "They shall publish the memory . . . of Thy sweetness," to perfect men returning after their contemplation.

Articulus 7

Argumentum 1

Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod status religiosorum sit perfectior quam status praelatorum.

Dominus enim dicit, Matth. XIX, si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende omnia quae habes et da pauperibus, quod faciunt religiosi. Non autem ad hoc tenentur episcopi, dicitur enim XII, qu. I, episcopi de rebus propriis vel acquisitis, vel quidquid de proprio habent, heredibus suis derelinquant.

Ergo religiosi sunt in perfectiori statu quam episcopi.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, perfectio principalius consistit in dilectione dei quam in dilectione proximi. Sed status religiosorum directe ordinatur ad dilectionem dei, unde et ex dei servitio et famulatu nominantur, ut dionysius dicit, VI cap. Eccles. Hier..

Status autem episcoporum videtur ordinari ad dilectionem proximi, cuius curae superintendunt, unde et nominantur, ut patet per Augustinum, XIX de CIV. Dei.

Ergo videtur quod status religiosorum sit perfectior quam status episcoporum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, status religiosorum ordinatur ad vitam contemplativam, quae potior est quam vita activa, ad quam ordinatur status episcoporum, dicit enim Gregorius, in pastoral., quod per activam vitam prodesse proximis cupiens Isaias officium praedicationis appetiit, per contemplationem vero ieremias, amori conditoris sedulo inhaerere desiderans, ne mitti ad praedicandum debeat, contradicit.

Ergo videtur quod status religiosorum sit perfectior quam status episcoporum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra, nulli licet a maiori statu ad minorem transire, hoc enim esset retro aspicere. Sed potest aliquis a statu religionis transire ad statum episcopalem, dicitur enim XVIII, qu. I, quod sacra ordinatio de monacho episcopum facit.

Ergo status episcoporum est perfectior quam religiosorum.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut Augustinus dicit, XII super Gen. Ad litt., semper agens praestantius est patiente.

In genere autem perfectionis, episcopi, secundum dionysium, se habent ut perfectores, religiosi autem ut perfecti, quorum unum pertinet ad actionem, alterum autem ad passionem. Unde manifestum est quod status perfectionis potius est in episcopis quam in religiosis.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod abrenuntiatio propriarum facultatum dupliciter considerari potest. Uno modo, secundum quod est in actu. Et sic in ea non consistit essentialiter perfectio, sed est quoddam perfectionis instrumentum, sicut supra dictum est.

Et ideo nihil prohibet statum perfectionis esse sine abrenuntiatione propriorum. Sic etiam dicendum est de aliis exterioribus observantiis. Alio modo potest considerari secundum praeparationem animi, ut scilicet homo sit paratus, si opus fuerit, omnia dimittere vel distribuere. Et hoc pertinet directe ad perfectionem.

Unde Augustinus dicit, in libro de quaest. Evang., ostendit dominus filios sapientiae intelligere non in abstinendo nec in manducando esse iustitiam, sed in aequanimitate tolerandi inopiam.

Unde et apostolus dicit, scio abundare et penuriam pati.

Ad hoc autem maxime tenentur episcopi, quod omnia sua pro honore dei et salute sui gregis contemnant, cum opus fuerit, vel pauperibus sui gregis largiendo, vel rapinam bonorum suorum cum gaudio sustinendo.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod hoc ipsum quod episcopi intendunt his quae pertinent ad proximorum dilectionem, provenit ex abundantia dilectionis divinae. Unde dominus primo a Petro quaesivit an eum diligeret, et postea ei gregis curam commisit.

Et Gregorius dicit, in pastoral., si dilectionis est testimonium cura pastoris, quisquis, virtutibus pollens, gregem dei renuit pascere, pastorem summum convincitur non amare.

Hoc autem est maioris dilectionis signum, ut homo propter amicum etiam alii serviat, quam etiam si soli amico velit servire.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut Gregorius dicit, in pastoral., sit praesul actione praecipuus, prae cunctis contemplatione suspensus, quia ad ipsos pertinet non solum propter seipsos, sed etiam propter instructionem aliorum contemplari.

Unde Gregorius dicit, super Ezech., quod de perfectis viris post contemplationem suam redeuntibus dicitur, memoriam suavitatis tuae eructabunt.