Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. Man has by nature a power to penetrate into the meaningof things and to grasp reality in its essence. This is the naturalpower of mind, intellect, understanding. But man needs more thannatural intellect to understand the end for which he exists and themeans of attaining it. For this, man requires the light of the giftof supernatural understanding.
2. The light of supernatural understanding does not impartscientific knowledge of divine things, so that man ceases to knowthem by faith. By the gift of supernatural understanding man knowsthe mysteries of the faith surely, but imperfectly. He sees thatthese mysteries involve no contradiction, and he assents to theirtruth on God's word; thus he holds these truths by faith.
3. The gift of understanding gives knowledge of the truthsof faith and also of things subordinate to faith, such as humanaction which springs from faith. Hence this gift is not purelyspeculative or theoretical; it is also practicalor directive.
4. Just as the gift of charity, which is the love, grace,and friendship of God, is found in all who are in the state ofsanctifying grace, so also is the gift of supernaturalunderstanding found in them.
5. And, without sanctifying grace, no one has the gift ofsupernatural understanding.
6. The gift of supernatural understanding gives to themind of man the light of faith. In this light, the gift of wisdomenables a person to judge rightly of divine things; the gift ofknowledge makes him capable of right judgment about created things;the gift of counsel equips him to apply the judgments of wisdom andknowledge in individual human acts.
7. The sixth beatitude, "Blessed are the clean ofheart, for theyshall see God," corresponds to the giftof supernatural understanding. For there is a special cleanness inthe mind and heart which, purged of evil phantasms, understands thetruths of faith. Such an understanding sees God in his creatures onearth, and will behold him hereafter in the heavenly vision.
8. The fruit of the Holy Ghost called faith, that is, thecertitude of faith, also corresponds to the gift of spiritualunderstanding.
"Whom do you seek, friend, if you seek not God? Seek him, find him, cleave to him; bind your will to his with bands of steel and you will live always at peace in this life and in the next."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. "
Thomas á Kempis
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"If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel."
Thomas á Kempis
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