"through no fault of his own"

I have been reading through part of Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange's commentary on the Summa (published as The Theological Virtues I: On Faith) and came across the following:

First argument: It is not always possible for one to believe a truth explicitly. He may never have heard it preached.

Answer: Since the days of St. Augustine, Catholics have never doubted that, if the contrary has not ensued through one's own fault, there is sure to be a manifestation in the life of every adult of those particular truths in which absolute faith is required, in order to gain salvation. "This divine help, no matter to whom dispensed, is a gift of mercy. Wherever it is not dispensed, the reason is one of justice. It is a penalty for sin, actual or at least original."

This, I think, is the missing footnote from the Second Vatican Council's Lumen Gentium #16.

How can it be a punishment for ORIGINAL sin if everyone born into the world has original sin? Wouldn't that be predestination? I can see it as a punishment for actual sin in the sense that some sins blind people to the truth even if the truth is right in front of them.

Marian,

Thanks for the great quote from Father Garrigou-Lagrange.

Rasha,

Father GL is talking about adults:

Catholics have never doubted that, if the contrary has not ensued through one's own fault, there is sure to be a manifestation in the life of every adult of those particular truths in which absolute faith is required, in order to gain salvation.

Father GL is not talking about original sin. I agree with Father GL: I do not believe any adult who goes to Hell dies without personal sin. Do you not believe that?

That the grace of salvation comes from the bounty of God is signaled by the baptism of some infants unto glory and some not. That picture makes it clear what is going on with adults also who are saved. They are saved gratuitously by God's mercy. Of course, they cooperate with that grace, since He who controls the ends also controls the means, and He has decreed and created in his elect creatures who freely cooperate with and effect His designs. The sinner, every one, fails of his own accord.

No adult is damned by original sin alone.

I think I am with Rasha on this. Good catch dude! I almost missed that. We always have to have our critical thinking gear on.

@Tornpage, I don't think Rasha has a problem with the actual sin part but to not reveal himself to someone on account of original sin would mean he wouldn't reveal himself to anyone.

Father Feeney commenting on why does God allow children to die without Baptism said he didn't know but it may be possible that God saw this person's future and if they had lived longer they would condemn themselves, so out of mercy he sends some to Limbo. I think I remember that correctly. Don't quote me

BTW can't mentally handicapped die as adults with only original sin on their souls?

RashaLampa wrote:How can it be a punishment for ORIGINAL sin if everyone born into the world has original sin? Wouldn't that be predestination? I can see it as a punishment for actual sin in the sense that some sins blind people to the truth even if the truth is right in front of them.

There is a certain Catholic sense of predestination

The part of the above quote (which includes original sin and not simply actual sin) is Fr. Lagrange quoting from St. Augustine's De Correptione et Gratia. There may be a broader context in Augustine's work. The rest of the answer from Fr. Lagrange is this:

This explanatory quotation from St. Augustine is of great importance. It brings out the meaning of what St. Thomas held and expounded using other words; for example, efficacious grace, especially when providing means that are necessary for salvation, is never wanting to anybody who has not blocked it by previous sin. this previous sin does indeed presuppose a divine permission, but the prior permission is quite distinct from the subsequent denial of efficacious grace. The denial is a punishment for standing guilt.

In adults, however, the withholding of the efficacious grace necessary for salvation is because of one's personal guilt. If a grown person would not resist prevenient graces offered by our Lord with sufficiency--"our sufficiency is from God"-- God would not deny the efficacious grace that would unfold from that sufficiency, as do fruit and seeds from blossoms.

Which I think clarifies that he is speaking about adults who (without divine grace and cooperation with that grace) cannot remain free from from actual sin.

cowboy wrote:BTW can't mentally handicapped die as adults with only original sin on their souls?

Age may identify them as "adults", but I don't think they would be seen by the Church as having reached "the age of reason" depending on the severity of the mental handicap.



Anyway, the whole point of my posting this was because of the first sentence of Father's reply, namely: "Since the days of St. Augustine, Catholics have never doubted that... there is sure to be a manifestation in the life of every adult of those particular truths in which absolute faith is required, in order to gain salvation." Thus, keeping constant with the teaching of the Church throughout the ages, we should read Lumen Gentium #16, not as a kind of proof-text for salvation without the necessary requirements of salvation, but as a confirmation of divine providence and omnipotence.

cowboy wrote:
@Tornpage, I don't think Rasha has a problem with the actual sin part but to not reveal himself to someone on account of original sin would mean he wouldn't reveal himself to anyone.

Exactly my point.