mariologydogmati00pohl - Carmel Apologetics

MARY'S FULNESS OF GRACE 33
ß) The "fulness of grace" enjoyed by our
Blessed Mother was not complete and perfect at
the outset, but developed gradually, reaching its
climax at the moment of her death.
Unlike her Divine Son, 29 Mary advanced in grace and
virtue. Catholic theologians distinguish three stages in
her spiritual development. The first of these comprises
her infancy up to the time when she conceived our Divine
Lord. The second coincides with the period from the
conception of Christ to her death. The third is the term
of her everlasting beatitude in Heaven. 30
It should be
noted, however, that St. Thomas erred in representing the
perfectio sanctißcationis characteristic of the first stage
as liberatp a culpa originali; it must be defined as
praeservatio a culpa originali, as we shall demonstrate
further on.
Some few theologians hold that Mary attained to perfection
of grace at the end of the first stage, i. e., when
she conceived her Divine Son. But this theory entails
an inadmissible corollary, namely, that she received no
increase of sanctifying grace after the Incarnation,
neither ex opere operato, as during the descent of the
Holy Ghost on Pentecost day, nor ex opere operantis,
e. g., by the merits of her virtuous life. Who would
admit such an incongruity? The honor of our Lady is
not enhanced by untrue, unprovable, and questionable
asseverations, no matter how well-intentioned the zeal
29 Cfr. Pohle-Preuss, Christology, reddebatur idonea ut esset mater
pp. 236 sqq. Christi, et haec fuit perfectio sanc-
30 Cfr. St. Thomas, Summa The- tificationis. Secunda autem per-
ologica, 3a, qu. 27, art. 5, ad. 2: fectio gratiae fuit in beata virgine
" Et similiter in beata virgine est ex praesentia Filii Dei in eius utero
triplex perfectio gratiae: prima qui- incarnati. Tertia autem est perdem
quasi dispositiva, per quam fectio finis, quam habet in gloria."