Whether It Is Lawful to Be Solicitous About Temporal Matters?
Objection 1: It would seem lawful to be solicitous about temporal
matters. Because a superior should be solicitous for his subjects,
according to Rom. 12:8, "He that ruleth, with solicitude." Now
according to the Divine ordering, man is placed over temporal things,
according to Ps. 8:8, "Thou hast subjected all things under his
feet," etc. Therefore man should be solicitous about temporal things.
Obj. 2: Further, everyone is solicitous about the end for which he
works. Now it is lawful for a man to work for the temporal things
whereby he sustains life, wherefore the Apostle says (2 Thess. 3:10):
"If any man will not work, neither let him eat." Therefore it is
lawful to be solicitous about temporal things.
Obj. 3: Further, solicitude about works of mercy is praiseworthy,
according to 2 Tim. 1:17, "When he was come to Rome, he carefully
sought me." Now solicitude about temporal things is sometimes
connected with works of mercy; for instance, when a man is solicitous
to watch over the interests of orphans and poor persons. Therefore
solicitude about temporal things is not unlawful.
_On the contrary,_ Our Lord said (Matt. 6:31): "Be not
solicitous . . . saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink,
or wherewith shall we be clothed?" And yet such things are very
necessary.
_I answer that,_ Solicitude denotes an earnest endeavor to obtain
something. Now it is evident that the endeavor is more earnest when
there is fear of failure, so that there is less solicitude when
success is assured. Accordingly solicitude about temporal things may
be unlawful in three ways. First on the part of the object of
solicitude; that is, if we seek temporal things as an end. Hence
Augustine says (De Operibus Monach. xxvi): "When Our Lord said: 'Be
not solicitous, ' etc. . . . He intended to forbid them either to
make such things their end, or for the sake of these things to do
whatever they were commanded to do in preaching the Gospel."
Secondly, solicitude about temporal things may be unlawful, through
too much earnestness in endeavoring to obtain temporal things, the
result being that a man is drawn away from spiritual things which
ought to be the chief object of his search, wherefore it is written
(Matt. 13:22) that "the care of this world . . . chokes up the word."
Thirdly, through over much fear, when, to wit, a man fears to lack
necessary things if he do what he ought to do. Now our Lord gives
three motives for laying aside this fear. First, on account of the
yet greater favors bestowed by God on man, independently of his
solicitude, viz. his body and soul (Matt. 6:26); secondly, on account
of the care with which God watches over animals and plants without
the assistance of man, according to the requirements of their nature;
thirdly, because of Divine providence, through ignorance of which the
gentiles are solicitous in seeking temporal goods before all others.
Consequently He concludes that we should be solicitous most of all
about spiritual goods, hoping that temporal goods also may be granted
us according to our needs, if we do what we ought to do.
Reply Obj. 1: Temporal goods are subjected to man that he may use
them according to his needs, not that he may place his end in them
and be over solicitous about them.
Reply Obj. 2: The solicitude of a man who gains his bread by bodily
labor is not superfluous but proportionate; hence Jerome says on
Matt. 6:31, "Be not solicitous," that "labor is necessary, but
solicitude must be banished," namely superfluous solicitude which
unsettles the mind.
Reply Obj. 3: In the works of mercy solicitude about temporal things
is directed to charity as its end, wherefore it is not unlawful,
unless it be superfluous.
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