Whether It Is Fittingly Commanded That Man Should Love God with His
Whole Heart?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is unfittingly commanded that man
should love God with his whole heart. For the mode of a virtuous act
is not a matter of precept, as shown above (A. 1, ad 1; I-II, Q. 100,
A. 9). Now the words "with thy whole heart" signify the mode of the
love of God. Therefore it is unfittingly commanded that man should
love God with his whole heart.
Obj. 2: Further, "A thing is whole and perfect when it lacks nothing"
(Phys. iii, 6). If therefore it is a matter of precept that God be
loved with the whole heart, whoever does something not pertaining to
the love of God, acts counter to the precept, and consequently sins
mortally. Now a venial sin does not pertain to the love of God.
Therefore a venial sin is a mortal sin, which is absurd.
Obj. 3: Further, to love God with one's whole heart belongs to
perfection, since according to the Philosopher (Phys. iii, text. 64),
"to be whole is to be perfect." But that which belongs to perfection
is not a matter of precept, but a matter of counsel. Therefore we
ought not to be commanded to love God with our whole heart.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 6:5): "Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with thy whole heart."
_I answer that,_ Since precepts are given about acts of virtue, an
act is a matter of precept according as it is an act of virtue. Now
it is requisite for an act of virtue that not only should it fall on
its own matter, but also that it should be endued with its due
circumstances, whereby it is adapted to that matter. But God is to be
loved as the last end, to which all things are to be referred.
Therefore some kind of totality was to be indicated in connection
with the precept of the love of God.
Reply Obj. 1: The commandment that prescribes an act of virtue does
not prescribe the mode which that virtue derives from another and
higher virtue, but it does prescribe the mode which belongs to its
own proper virtue, and this mode is signified in the words "with thy
whole heart."
Reply Obj. 2: To love God with one's whole heart has a twofold
signification. First, actually, so that a man's whole heart be always
actually directed to God: this is the perfection of heaven. Secondly,
in the sense that a man's whole heart be habitually directed to God,
so that it consent to nothing contrary to the love of God, and this
is the perfection of the way. Venial sin is not contrary to this
latter perfection, because it does not destroy the habit of charity,
since it does not tend to a contrary object, but merely hinders the
use of charity.
Reply Obj. 3: That perfection of charity to which the counsels are
directed, is between the two perfections mentioned in the preceding
reply: and it consists in man renouncing, as much as possible,
temporal things, even such as are lawful, because they occupy the
mind and hinder the actual movement of the heart towards God.
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