States of Christian Life and Vocation, According to the Doctors and Theologians of the Church/Part 1/Section 2/INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. What is Perfection, and what is the State of Perfection.

by Jean-Baptiste Berthier

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. What is Perfection, and what is the State of Perfection.

We have run through the several conditions of the common Christian life, and now we have reached the state of perfection. Henceforth our task will be an easy one. We have only to draw from the abundant materials which St. Thomas, St. Liguori, and Suarez have accumulated for us. We shall begin by stating what perfection is, and making a clear distinction between it and the state of perfection. Following in the footsteps of St. Thomas, Suarez, says : "Theologians place the perfection of Christian life in the perfection of charity. This is also the theory of the holy fathers. The reason of it is this : what constitutes the perfection of a thing is its union with its last end. Now, our last end is God known by faith ; our perfection, therefore, consists in union with God. But it is charity that unites us to him. Through it we bind ourselves closely to God, and become one spirit with him, as St. Paul expresses it, and as St. John points out in these words : " He that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him." (i John iv, 16.) St. Prosper says that charity is the strongest of all affections. Hence it unites us to God more forcibly than any other; and in this life we cannot be more bound to him by anything than by love, because charity tends to God considered in himself, it subjects man to him in a wonderful manner, and makes him conformable to his ever-adorable will. Wherefore the entire perfection of the Christian life is in charity.^[1] Still, charity is not so all-sufficing for perfection, as to include everything else. Other virtues must accompany it and rest upon it.^[2]

In this life perfect charity can exist in two ways. First, in so far as it banishes from the heart of man all that is opposed to charity, as, for instance, mortal sin. Without this perfection, charity is out of the question, and therefore it is required for salvation. Secondly, perfect charity may exist in this life, in the sense that it excludes from the soul of man, not simply what is opposed to charity, but whatever also hinders the soul from going fully to God.^[3]

Viewed in the first light, this perfection of charity is said to be essential;^[4] it supposes that We love nothing above, against, or more than God.^[5] It requires in the soul a disposition to keep all the commandments. Jesus Christ speaks of this perfection where he says to all men : " Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. "^[6] This essential perfection concerns the common For, though all who are in that state have not attained this degree of perfection, since many do not comply with the duties of Christianity, and consequently are void of spiritual life, nevertheless all are in a state where they are bound to aim at and acquire this perfection, and they are supplied with ample means to reach it.^[7]

The perfection of charity taken from the second point of view, that is, in so far as excluding, not only mortal sin, but all that prevents the soul from belonging entirely to God, may be called accidental. It is a better and more profitable degree, and it is of it that our Lord speaks when saying, " If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all thou hast."^[8] It is this loftier degree of holiness that is commonly called perfection.

Now, this perfection of the Christian life cannot be acquired unless a man practises, first, the commandments, and, in the next place, some of the counsels. This proposition is certain, and is generally taught by theologians. However, such as are not in the state of perfection may perform some works of counsel, and thus spontaneously come to perfection, without being held to it by their condition of life.^[9] Still, strictly speaking, a person is not in a state of perfection by the mere fact of being in perfect charity ; he reaches manner, and with a certain solemnity, to it, and to what pertains to perfection.^[10]

We may, then, be perfect and not be in a state of perfection, and be in a perfect state without being perfect. Hence, the state of perfection is not to be confounded with perfection itself. With regard to perfection, the state of perfection is as a means with respect to an end. It may be defined : A fixed and permanent mode of life, established to acquire or practise the perfection of Christian life. This mode must be visible ; for the state of perfection is not for angels, but for human beings. It must, then, consist in acts that can be known by men and by the visible Church of Christ ; so that, even though one were to bind himself by secret vow to serve God in a perfect way, that would not be enough to place him in a state of perfection properly so called.^[11]

Christian perfection calls far more for the observance of the commandments than of the counsels. The state of perfection tends to the full practice of both, though it has especially in view the commandments, as being more essential to salvation.^[12] Nevertheless, that state is constituted by the counsels. For, to keep, and resolve always to keep, the commandments, would not put one in a state of perfection : the state must be constituted by an act superadded to what is of precept, and consequently by an act belonging to the counsels^[13]

Having now given as clear an idea as we could of the nature and state of perfection, we say, with Suarez, that it divides itself into a state of perfection to be acquired, and a state of perfection to be practised ; or, in other equivalent terms, in perfection there is the state of those who are tending to it, and the state of those who are already perfect. The characteristic of the state of aspiration or tendency is to effect the salvation of those who embrace it ; and the characteristic of the state of those who exercise perfection is zeal for the salvation of their neighbor.^[14]

We shall treat in turn of the one and of the other.

Footnotes

1. Suarez, De statu perfectionis, lib. i, c. iii, nn. 4, 5.
2. Ibid.
3. St. Th., 2, 2, q. 184, a.
4. Suar., lib. i, c. x, n. I.
5. St. Th., 2, 2, q. 184, a. 3 ad 2.
6. Ibid. c. x, n. i ; et Matt, v, 48.
7. Suar., c. x, n. 2.
8. Ibid., n. I ; et c. iv, n. 14, et Matt, xix, 21
9. Suar., c. v, n. 2, et c. x, n. 4.
10. St. Th., 2, 2, q. 181, a. 4.
11. Suar., lib. I, c. v.
12. Ibid., c. v ; et c. x ; n. 6
13. Suar., lib. i, c. xi, n. 12.
14. Ibid., c. xiv, n. 3.