Choose a topic from Part 3 Suppl:
1. The disorder brought into human life by original sin has madethe generative act so intensely emotional as to remove it from theready control of reason. Hence, to justify this act in fallen man,some compensating goods or blessings must attach to marriage.
2. Such goods are listed by Peter the Lombard (iv Sent.D. 31) as: fidelity, offspring, sacrament. Fidelity keeps theman and wife true to one another exclusively in the performing oftheir marital act. Offspring is the good fruit of the marital act,and belongs to it in intention even if the marriage provesunfruitful. Sacrament is the holiness of the state and duties ofspouses.
3. Of the three marriage goods or blessings, sacrament isthe most excellent. For that which makes marriage a divinelyinstituted and supernatural state is its most notable and essentialblessing.
4. Since the three marriage goods or blessings-sacrament,fidelity, offspring-are the things that make the marriage actdifferent from the lawless use of sex, it follows that these threeblessings justify and sanctify the marriage act, and remove itentirely from the category of sin.
5. Therefore, without the marriage blessings or goods, themarriage act could not be justified as a good act.
6. Yet a spouse, seeking only pleasure in the maritalaction, would not be guilty of serious sin unless his quest weresuch as to involve a will and intention to illicit indulgence werelawful means unavailable to him.
"The name of Jesus, pronounced with reverence and affection, has a kind of power to soften the heart. "
St Philip Neri
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"This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. "
Thomas á Kempis
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"Try to turn your heart from the love of things visible and bring yourself to things invisible. For they who follow their own evil passions stain their consciences and lose the grace of God.
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Thomas á Kempis
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