Respondeo dicendum quod ad orationem tria requiruntur. Quorum primum est ut orans accedat ad Deum, quem orat. Quod significatur nomine orationis, quia oratio est ascensus intellectus in Deum. Secundo, requiritur petitio, quae significatur nomine postulationis, sive petitio proponatur determinate, quod quidem nominant quidam proprie postulationem; sive indeterminate, ut cum quis petit iuvari a Deo, quod nominant supplicationem; sive solum factum narretur, secundum illud Ioan. XI, ecce, quem amas infirmatur, quod vocant insinuationem. Tertio, requiritur ratio impetrandi quod petitur. Et hoc vel ex parte Dei, vel ex parte petentis. Ratio quidem impetrandi ex parte Dei est eius sanctitas, propter quam petimus exaudiri, secundum illud Dan. IX, propter temetipsum inclina, Deus meus, aurem tuam. Et ad hoc pertinet obsecratio, quae est per sacra contestatio, sicut cum dicimus, per nativitatem tuam, libera nos, domine. Ratio vero impetrandi ex parte petentis est gratiarum actio, quia de acceptis beneficiis gratias agentes, meremur accipere potiora, ut in collecta dicitur. Et ideo dicit Glossa, I ad Tim. II, quod in Missa obsecrationes sunt quae praecedunt consecrationem, in quibus quaedam sacra commemorantur; orationes sunt in ipsa consecratione, in qua mens maxime debet elevari in Deum; postulationes autem sunt in sequentibus petitionibus; gratiarum actiones in fine. I answer that, Three conditions are requisite for prayer. First, that the person who prays should approach God Whom he prays: this is signified in the word prayer, because prayer is the raising up of one’s mind to God. The second is that there should be a petition, and this is signified in the word intercession. In this case sometimes one asks for something definite, and then some say it is intercession properly so called, or we may ask for some thing indefinitely, for instance to be helped by God, or we may simply indicate a fact, as in John 11:3, Behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick, and then they call it insinuation. The third condition is the reason for impetrating what we ask for: and this either on the part of God, or on the part of the person who asks. The reason of impetration on the part of God is His sanctity, on account of which we ask to be heard, according to Dan. 9:17, 18, For Thy own sake, incline, O God, Thy ear; and to this pertains supplication (obsecratio) which means a pleading through sacred things, as when we say, Through Thy nativity, deliver us, O Lord. The reason for impetration on the part of the person who asks is thanksgiving; since through giving thanks for benefits received we merit to receive yet greater benefits, as we say in the collect. Hence a gloss on 1 Tim. 2:1 says that in the Mass, the consecration is preceded by supplication, in which certain sacred things are called to mind; that prayers are in the consecration itself, in which especially the mind should be raised up to God; and that intercessions are in the petitions that follow, and thanksgivings at the end. In pluribus etiam Ecclesiae collectis haec quatuor possunt attendi. Sicut in collecta Trinitatis, quod dicitur, omnipotens, sempiterne Deus, pertinet ad orationis ascensum in Deum; quod dicitur, qui dedisti famulis tuis etc., pertinet ad gratiarum actionem; quod dicitur, praesta, quaesumus etc., pertinet ad postulationem; quod in fine ponitur, per dominum nostrum etc., pertinet ad obsecrationem. We may notice these four things in several of the Church’s collects. Thus in the collect of Trinity Sunday the words, Almighty eternal God belong to the offering up of prayer to God; the words, Who hast given to Thy servants, etc. belong to thanksgiving; the words, grant, we beseech Thee, belong to intercession; and the words at the end, Through Our Lord, etc. belong to supplication. In Collationibus autem Patrum dicitur quod obsecratio est imploratio pro peccatis; oratio, cum aliquid Deo vovemus; postulatio, cum pro aliis petimus. Sed primum melius est. In the Conferences of the Fathers (ix, cap. 11, seqq.) we read: Supplication is bewailing one’s sins; prayer is vowing something to God; intercession is praying for others; thanksgiving is offered by the mind to God in ineffable ecstasy. The first explanation, however, is the better. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod obsecratio non est adiuratio ad compellendum, quae prohibetur, sed ad misericordiam implorandum. Reply Obj. 1: Supplication is an adjuration not for the purpose of compelling, for this is forbidden, but in order to implore mercy. Ad secundum dicendum quod oratio communiter sumpta includit omnia quae hic dicuntur. Sed secundum quod contra alia dividitur, importat proprie ascensum in Deum. Reply Obj. 2: Prayer in the general sense includes all the things mentioned here; but when distinguished from the others it denotes properly the ascent to God. Ad tertium dicendum quod in diversis praeterita praecedunt futura, sed aliquid unum et idem prius est futurum quam sit praeteritum. Et ideo gratiarum actio de aliis beneficiis praecedit postulationem aliorum beneficiorum, sed idem beneficium prius postulatur, et ultimo, cum acceptum fuerit, de eo gratiae aguntur. Postulationem autem praecedit oratio, per quam acceditur ad eum a quo petimus. Orationem autem praecedit obsecratio, quia ex consideratione divinae bonitatis ad eum audemus accedere. Reply Obj. 3: Among things that are diverse the past precedes the future; but the one and same thing is future before it is past. Hence thanksgiving for other benefits precedes intercession: but one and the same benefit is first sought, and finally, when it has been received, we give thanks for it. Intercession is preceded by prayer whereby we approach Him of Whom we ask: and prayer is preceded by supplication, whereby through the consideration of God’s goodness we dare approach Him. Quaestio 84 Question 84 De adoratione Adoration Deinde considerandum est de exterioribus actibus latriae. Et primo, de adoratione, per quam aliquis suum corpus ad Deum venerandum exhibet; secundo, de illis actibus quibus aliquid de rebus exterioribus Deo offertur; tertio, de actibus quibus ea quae Dei sunt assumuntur. In due sequence we must consider the external acts of latria, and in the first place, adoration whereby one uses one’s body to reverence God; second, those acts whereby some external thing is offered to God; third, those acts whereby something belonging to God is assumed. Circa primum quaeruntur tria. Under the first head there are three points of inquiry: Primo, utrum adoratio sit actus latriae. (1) Whether adoration is an act of latria? Secundo, utrum adoratio importet actum interiorem, vel exteriorem. (2) Whether adoration denotes an internal or an external act? Tertio, utrum adoratio requirat determinationem loci. (3) Whether adoration requires a definite place? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum adoratio sit actus latriae sive religionis Whether adoration is an act of latria, or religion? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod adoratio non sit actus latriae sive religionis. Cultus enim religionis soli Deo debetur. Sed adoratio non debetur soli Deo, legitur enim Gen. XVIII quod Abraham adoravit Angelos; et III Reg. I dicitur quod Nathan propheta, ingressus ad regem David, adoravit eum pronus in terram. Ergo adoratio non est actus religionis. Objection 1: It would seem that adoration is not an act of latria or religion. The worship of religion is due to God alone. But adoration is not due to God alone: since we read (Gen 18:2) that Abraham adored the angels; and (3 Kgs 1:23) that the prophet Nathan, when he was come in to king David, worshiped him bowing down to the ground. Therefore adoration is not an act of religion. Praeterea, religionis cultus debetur Deo prout in ipso beatificamur, ut patet per Augustinum, in X de Civ. Dei. Sed adoratio debetur ei ratione maiestatis, quia super illud Psalm., adorate dominum in atrio sancto eius, dicit Glossa, de his atriis venitur in atrium ubi maiestas adoratur. Ergo adoratio non est actus latriae. Obj. 2: Further, the worship of religion is due to God as the object of beatitude, according to Augustine (De Civ. Dei x, 3): whereas adoration is due to Him by reason of His majesty, since a gloss on Ps. 28:2, Adore ye the Lord in His holy court, says: We pass from these courts into the court where we adore His majesty. Therefore adoration is not an act of latria. Praeterea, unius religionis cultus tribus personis debetur. Non autem una adoratione adoramus tres personas, sed ad invocationem trium personarum singulariter genu flectimus. Ergo adoratio non est actus latriae. Obj. 3: Further, the worship of one same religion is due to the three Persons. But we do not adore the three Persons with one adoration, for we genuflect at each separate invocation of Them. Therefore adoration is not an act of latria. Sed contra est quod Matth. IV inducitur, dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies. On the contrary, are the words quoted Matt. 4:10: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore and Him only shalt thou serve. Respondeo dicendum quod adoratio ordinatur in reverentiam eius qui adoratur. Manifestum est autem ex dictis quod religionis proprium est reverentiam Deo exhibere. Unde adoratio qua Deus adoratur est religionis actus. I answer that, Adoration is directed to the reverence of the person adored. Now it is evident from what we have said (Q. 81, AA. 2, 4) that it is proper to religion to show reverence to God. Hence the adoration whereby we adore God is an act of religion. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Deo debetur reverentia propter eius excellentiam, quae aliquibus creaturis communicatur non secundum aequalitatem, sed secundum quandam participationem. Et ideo alia veneratione veneramur Deum, quod pertinet ad latriam, et alia veneratione quasdam excellentes creaturas, quod pertinet ad duliam, de qua post dicetur. Et quia ea quae exterius aguntur signa sunt interioris reverentiae, quaedam exteriora ad reverentiam pertinentia exhibentur excellentibus creaturis, inter quae maximum est adoratio, sed aliquid est quod soli Deo exhibetur, scilicet sacrificium. Unde Augustinus dicit, in X de Civ. Dei, multa de cultu divino usurpata sunt quae honoribus deferrentur humanis, sive humilitate nimia sive adulatione pestifera, ita tamen ut quibus ea deferrentur, homines haberentur, qui dicuntur colendi et venerandi; si autem multum eis additur, et adorandi. Quis vero sacrificandum censuit nisi ei quem Deum aut scivit, aut putavit, aut finxit? Secundum reverentiam igitur quae creaturae excellenti debetur, Nathan adoravit David. Secundum autem reverentiam quae Deo debetur, Mardochaeus noluit adorare Aman, timens ne honorem Dei transferret ad hominem, ut dicitur Esther XIII. Reply Obj. 1: Reverence is due to God on account of His excellence, which is communicated to certain creatures not in equal measure, but according to a measure of proportion; and so the reverence which we pay to God, and which belongs to latria, differs from the reverence which we pay to certain excellent creatures; this belongs to dulia, and we shall speak of it further on (Q. 103). And since external actions are signs of internal reverence, certain external tokens significative of reverence are offered to creatures of excellence, and among these tokens the chief is adoration: yet there is one thing which is offered to God alone, and that is sacrifice. Hence Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x, 4): Many tokens of Divine worship are employed in doing honor to men, either through excessive humility, or through pernicious flattery; yet so that those to whom these honors are given are recognized as being men to whom we owe esteem and reverence and even adoration if they be far above us. But who ever thought it his duty to sacrifice to any other than one whom he either knew or deemed or pretended to be a God? Accordingly it was with the reverence due to an excellent creature that Nathan adored David; while it was the reverence due to God with which Mardochai refused to adore Aman fearing lest he should transfer the honor of his God to a man (Esther 13:14). Et similiter secundum reverentiam debitam creaturae excellenti, Abraham adoravit Angelos; et etiam Iosue, ut legitur Iosue V. Quamvis possit intelligi quod adoraverint adoratione latriae Deum, qui in persona Angeli apparebat et loquebatur. Secundum autem reverentiam quae debetur Deo, prohibitus est Ioannes Angelum adorare, Apoc. ult. Tum ad ostendendum dignitatem hominis, quam adeptus est per Christum, ut Angelis aequetur, unde ibi subditur, conservus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum. Tum etiam ad excludendum idololatriae occasionem, unde subditur, Deum adora. Again with the reverence due to an excellent creature Abraham adored the angels, as did also Josue (Josh 5:15): though we may understand them to have adored, with the adoration of latria, God Who appeared and spoke to them in the guise of an angel. It was with the reverence due to God that John was forbidden to adore the angel (Rev 22:9), both to indicate the dignity which he had acquired through Christ, whereby man is made equal to an angel: wherefore the same text goes on: I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren; as also to exclude any occasion of idolatry, wherefore the text continues: Adore God. Ad secundum dicendum quod sub maiestate divina intelligitur omnis Dei excellentia, ad quam pertinet quod in ipso, sicut in summo bono, beatificamur. Reply Obj. 2: Every Divine excellency is included in His majesty: to which it pertains that we should be made happy in Him as in the sovereign good. Ad tertium dicendum quod quia una est excellentia trium personarum, unus honor et reverentia eis debetur, et per consequens una adoratio. In cuius figuram, cum legatur de Abraham, Gen. XVIII, quod tres viri ei apparuerunt, adorans unum alloquitur. Dicens, domine, si inveni gratiam, etc. Trina autem genuflexio signum est ternarii personarum, non autem diversitatis adorationum. Reply Obj. 3: Since there is one excellence of the three Divine Persons, one honor and reverence is due to them and consequently one adoration. It is to represent this that where it is related (Gen 18:2) that three men appeared to Abraham, we are told that he addressed one, saying: Lord, if I have found favor in thy sight, etc. The triple genuflection represents the Trinity of Persons, not a difference of adoration. Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum adoratio importet actum corporalem Whether adoration denotes an action of the body? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod adoratio non importet actum corporalem. Dicitur enim Ioan. IV, veri adoratores adorabunt patrem in spiritu et veritate. Sed id quod fit in spiritu non pertinet ad corporalem actum. Ergo adoratio non importat corporalem actum. Objection 1: It would seem that adoration does not denote an act of the body. It is written (John 4:23): The true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. Now what is done in spirit has nothing to do with an act of the body. Therefore adoration does not denote an act of the body. Praeterea, nomen adorationis ab oratione sumitur. Sed oratio principaliter consistit in interiori actu, secundum illud I ad Cor. XIV, orabo spiritu, orabo et mente. Ergo adoratio maxime importat spiritualem actum. Obj. 2: Further, the word adoration is taken from oratio (prayer). But prayer consists chiefly in an interior act, according to 1 Cor. 14:15, I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding. Therefore adoration denotes chiefly a spiritual act. Praeterea, corporales actus ad sensibilem cognitionem pertinent. Deum autem non attingimus sensu corporis, sed mentis. Ergo adoratio non importat corporalem actum. Obj. 3: Further, acts of the body pertain to sensible knowledge: whereas we approach God not by bodily but by spiritual sense. Therefore adoration does not denote an act of the body. Sed contra est quod super illud Exod. XX, non adorabis ea, neque coles, dicit Glossa, nec affectu colas, nec specie adores. On the contrary, A gloss on Ex. 20:5, Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them, says: Thou shalt neither worship them in mind, nor adore them outwardly. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut Damascenus dicit, in IV libro, quia ex duplici natura compositi sumus, intellectuali scilicet et sensibili, duplicem adorationem Deo offerimus, scilicet spiritualem, quae consistit in interiori mentis devotione; et corporalem, quae consistit in exteriori corporis humiliatione. Et quia in omnibus actibus latriae id quod est exterius refertur ad id quod est interius sicut ad principalius, ideo ipsa exterior adoratio fit propter interiorem, ut videlicet per signa humilitatis quae corporaliter exhibemus, excitetur noster affectus ad subiiciendum se Deo; quia connaturale est nobis ut per sensibilia ad intelligibilia procedamus. I answer that, As Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iv, 12), since we are composed of a twofold nature, intellectual and sensible, we offer God a twofold adoration; namely, a spiritual adoration, consisting in the internal devotion of the mind; and a bodily adoration, which consists in an exterior humbling of the body. And since in all acts of latria that which is without is referred to that which is within as being of greater import, it follows that exterior adoration is offered on account of interior adoration, in other words we exhibit signs of humility in our bodies in order to incite our affections to submit to God, since it is connatural to us to proceed from the sensible to the intelligible. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod etiam adoratio corporalis in spiritu fit, inquantum ex spirituali devotione procedit, et ad eam ordinatur. Reply Obj. 1: Even bodily adoration is done in spirit, insofar as it proceeds from and is directed to spiritual devotion. Ad secundum dicendum quod sicut oratio primordialiter quidem est in mente, secundario autem verbis exprimitur, ut supra dictum est; ita etiam adoratio principaliter quidem in interiori Dei reverentia consistit, secundario autem in quibusdam corporalibus humilitatis signis, sicut genu flectimus nostram infirmitatem significantes in comparatione ad Deum; prosternimus autem nos quasi profitentes nos nihil esse ex nobis. Reply Obj. 2: Just as prayer is primarily in the mind, and secondarily expressed in words, as stated above (Q. 83, A. 12), so too adoration consists chiefly in an interior reverence of God, but secondarily in certain bodily signs of humility; thus when we genuflect we signify our weakness in comparison with God, and when we prostrate ourselves we profess that we are nothing of ourselves. Ad tertium dicendum quod etsi per sensum Deum attingere non possumus, per sensibilia tamen signa mens nostra provocatur ut tendat in Deum. Reply Obj. 3: Though we cannot reach God with the senses, our mind is urged by sensible signs to approach God. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum adoratio requirat determinatum locum Whether adoration requires a definite place?