Whether a Man May Make Oblations of Whatever He Lawfully Possesses?
Objection 1: It would seem that a man may not make oblations of
whatever he lawfully possesses. According to human law [*Dig. xii, v,
de Condict. ob. turp. vel iniust. caus. 4] "the whore's is a shameful
trade in what she does but not in what she takes," and consequently
what she takes she possesses lawfully. Yet it is not lawful for her
to make an oblation with her gains, according to Deut. 23:18, "Thou
shalt not offer the hire of a strumpet . . . in the house of the Lord
thy God." Therefore it is not lawful to make an oblation of whatever
one possesses lawfully.
Obj. 2: Further, in the same passage it is forbidden to offer "the
price of a dog" in the house of God. But it is evident that a man
possesses lawfully the price of a dog he has lawfully sold. Therefore
it is not lawful to make an oblation of whatever we possess lawfully.
Obj. 3: Further, it is written (Malachi 1:8): "If you offer the lame
and the sick, is it not evil?" Yet an animal though lame or sick is a
lawful possession. Therefore it would seem that not of every lawful
possession may one make an oblation.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Prov. 3:9): "Honor the Lord with
thy substance." Now whatever a man possesses lawfully belongs to his
substance. Therefore he may make oblations of whatever he possesses
lawfully.
_I answer that,_ As Augustine says (De Verb. Dom. Serm. cxiii),
"shouldst thou plunder one weaker than thyself and give some of the
spoil to the judge, if he should pronounce in thy favor, such is the
force of justice that even thou wouldst not be pleased with him: and
if this should not please thee, neither does it please thy God."
Hence it is written (Ecclus. 34:21): "The offering of him that
sacrificeth of a thing wrongfully gotten is stained." Therefore it is
evident that an oblation must not be made of things unjustly acquired
or possessed. In the Old Law, however, wherein the figure was
predominant, certain things were reckoned unclean on account of their
signification, and it was forbidden to offer them. But in the New Law
all God's creatures are looked upon as clean, as stated in Titus
1:15: and consequently anything that is lawfully possessed,
considered in itself, may be offered in oblation. But it may happen
accidentally that one may not make an oblation of what one possesses
lawfully; for instance if it be detrimental to another person, as in
the case of a son who offers to God the means of supporting his
father (which our Lord condemns, Matt. 15:5), or if it give rise to
scandal or contempt, or the like.
Reply Obj. 1: In the Old Law it was forbidden to make an offering of
the hire of a strumpet on account of its uncleanness, and in the New
Law, on account of scandal, lest the Church seem to favor sin if she
accept oblations from the profits of sin.
Reply Obj. 2: According to the Law, a dog was deemed an unclean
animal. Yet other unclean animals were redeemed and their price could
be offered, according to Lev. 27:27, "If it be an unclean animal, he
that offereth it shall redeem it." But a dog was neither offered nor
redeemed, both because idolaters used dogs in sacrifices to their
idols, and because they signify robbery, the proceeds of which cannot
be offered in oblation. However, this prohibition ceased under the
New Law.
Reply Obj. 3: The oblation of a blind or lame animal was declared
unlawful for three reasons. First, on account of the purpose for
which it was offered, wherefore it is written (Malach. 1:8): "If you
offer the blind in sacrifice, is it not evil?" and it behooved
sacrifices to be without blemish. Secondly, on account of contempt,
wherefore the same text goes on (Malach. 1:12): "You have profaned"
My name, "in that you say: The table of the Lord is defiled and that
which is laid thereupon is contemptible." Thirdly, on account of a
previous vow, whereby a man has bound himself to offer without
blemish whatever he has vowed: hence the same text says further on
(Malach. 1:14): "Cursed is the deceitful man that hath in his flock a
male, and making a vow offereth in sacrifice that which is feeble to
the Lord." The same reasons avail still in the New Law, but when they
do not apply the unlawfulness ceases.
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