Whether the Second Beatitude, "Blessed Are the Meek," Corresponds to
the Gift of Piety?
Objection 1: It seems that the second beatitude, "Blessed are the
meek," does not correspond to the gift of piety. For piety is the
gift corresponding to justice, to which rather belongs the fourth
beatitude, "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice,"
or the fifth beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful," since as stated
above (A. 1, Obj. 3), the works of mercy belong to piety. Therefore
the second beatitude does not pertain to the gift of piety.
Obj. 2: Further, the gift of piety is directed by the gift of
knowledge, which is united to it in the enumeration of the gifts
(Isa. 11). Now direction and execution extend to the same matter.
Since, then, the third beatitude, "Blessed are they that mourn,"
corresponds to the gift of knowledge, it seems that the second
beatitude corresponds to piety.
Obj. 3: Further, the fruits correspond to the beatitudes and gifts,
as stated above (I-II, Q. 70, A. 2). Now among the fruits, goodness
and benignity seem to agree with piety rather than mildness, which
pertains to meekness. Therefore the second beatitude does not
correspond to the gift of piety.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i): "Piety
is becoming to the meek."
_I answer that,_ In adapting the beatitudes to the gifts a twofold
congruity may be observed. One is according to the order in which
they are given, and Augustine seems to have followed this: wherefore
he assigns the first beatitude to the lowest gift, namely, fear, and
the second beatitude, "Blessed are the meek," to piety, and so on.
Another congruity may be observed in keeping with the special nature
of each gift and beatitude. In this way one must adapt the beatitudes
to the gifts according to their objects and acts: and thus the fourth
and fifth beatitudes would correspond to piety, rather than the
second. Yet the second beatitude has a certain congruity with piety,
inasmuch as meekness removes the obstacles to acts of piety.
This suffices for the Reply to the First Objection.
Reply Obj. 2: Taking the beatitudes and gifts according to their
proper natures, the same beatitude must needs correspond to knowledge
and piety: but taking them according to their order, different
beatitudes correspond to them, although a certain congruity may be
observed, as stated above.
Reply Obj. 3: In the fruits goodness and benignity may be directly
ascribed to piety; and mildness indirectly in so far as it removes
obstacles to acts of piety, as stated above.
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