By Rev. Joseph J. C. Petrovits, J.C.B., S.T.L.
In the Devotion to the Five Wounds, the terminus ultimus is the divine Person of Christ. The second-last terminus is His sufferings. Thus, the second-last terminus brings Christ into correlation with His Wounds and reveals the reason why He is deserving of our adoration under the aspect of the Wounds. Hence, in the Devotion to the Five Wounds the primary object is the suffering Christ, the secondary object, His Five Wounds.
In the Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus the terminus ultimus is the divine Person of the Word. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with His Name and establishes the reason why He is worthy of adoration under such an aspect, is the power and mysteries contained in that Name. Therefore, the primary object of this devotion is the power and the mysteries contained in that Name, whereas the secondary object is the Name itself.
One more example will suffice to elucidate the principle fully. In the cult to the Holy Cross the terminus ultimus is the same as in all the other devotions of Christ. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with the Cross, and manifests the reason why He is deserving of a worship under such an aspect, is His death. Consequently, in the Devotion to the Holy Cross, the death of Christ is the primary, and the Cross the secondary object. It is not a controverted question that the primary and secondary objects of these three devotions are as stated. Hence, the principle stated may be applied safely to all the other devotions of Christ. In other words, the primary object is not the one by which the cult is named, but that which results from the correlation of the visible object or name of the devotion with Christ. This object might be called the relatively last, or the second-last. It is only relatively last, for it does not terminate in the Logos directly, but only mediately.
If the same principle is applied to the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, we find that the terminus ultimus is the Person of the Logos. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with His Heart and manifests the reason why He is deserving of special worship under the aspect of His Heart, is His love. Therefore, the primary object of this Devotion by reason of excellence is the love of Christ, and the Heart thus becomes the secondary object. This is a self-evident truth. All admit that the primariness or secondariness of a thing depends on its origin, rank, excellence, importance, etc. Such being the Case, no one will deny that the love of Christ, whether human or divine, possesses a higher degree of eminence than His Heart, which is considered only as its symbol. Therefore, the Heart is subordinate to the Love by reason of the excellence of the latter.
The following quotations taken from authoritative sources will corroborate the contention that the love of Christ must be considered the principal or primary object of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart by reason of excellence.
I. Blessed Margaret Mary, in one of her letters to Mother de Saumaise, gives utterance to what might be considered a prophecy. " God will reign," she says, " in spite of His enemies, and will become the Master of our hearts, for such is the principal motive of this Devotion, viz., to convert souls to His love."
II. Father Croiset interprets the substance of the Devotion by saying: " It consists in nothing but a practice of love, its object is love, its principal motive is love, love must needs be its end." Again, " it is easy to see that the principal object and motive of this Devotion is the immense love which Jesus Christ has for men, the majority of whom show Him only contempt or, to say the least, indifference."
III. Father Galliffet expresses himself to the same effect. " As to the spiritual and principal object," he says, " it is pointed out very clearly in the following words: Behold the Heart which has loved men so much. This immense love with which the Sacred Heart is inflamed, forms the spiritual and principal object of this Devotion."
IV. Frigidianus Castagnorius, who acted as the Postulator Causae in the time of Pope Innocent XII, makes it clear that "the principal object of this Devotion is the immense love of the Son of God."
Many modern authors could be quoted in confirmation of the same statement. However, the point being sufficiently established, we shall refrain from multiplying proofs. The failure to differentiate between the object which is primary by reason of its intrinsic essence and the one which is primary only in the order of time, was the principal cause of the misunderstanding which arose among theologians on this point. The whole dispute hardly amounts to more than a mere logomachy, for the disagreement is apparent and verbal rather than real.
If one examines the frame of mind of a worshipper who, engages in paying tribute to Christ by means of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, he finds that, as a general rule, the love of Christ is not his foremost or immediate object. It is the tangible symbol, viz., the Heart, which claims his attention first, for there is no other vehicle calculated to facilitate to the same extent his visualization of the imperceptible object, i. e., love. Therefore, it may be safely said that for most minds the Heart of Christ in this Devotion is the mirror of love. A glance into that mirror suffices to disclose instantly the love it reflects. This psychological principle will explain how, under ordinary circumstances, the Heart may be the primary object in the mind of the worshipper in the order of time, though, by reason of intention or excellence, it is subordinate to the love.
Again, it is generally admitted that the end intended principally by the Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a special worship of the love of Christ This love is to be contemplated through the Heart, which is its symbol. But in the order of execution, that object is the primary which is instituted as the medium whereby another object is to be reached. Thus, this latter object, though primary in the order of intention, becomes secondary in the order of execution. It has been proved above that the love of Christ is the primary object of this Devotion. But a worship of this love is rendered less efficacious if it be dissociated or considered apart from the Heart.
In the Devotion to the Five Wounds, the terminus ultimus is the divine Person of Christ. The second-last terminus is His sufferings. Thus, the second-last terminus brings Christ into correlation with His Wounds and reveals the reason why He is deserving of our adoration under the aspect of the Wounds. Hence, in the Devotion to the Five Wounds the primary object is the suffering Christ, the secondary object, His Five Wounds.
In the Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus the terminus ultimus is the divine Person of the Word. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with His Name and establishes the reason why He is worthy of adoration under such an aspect, is the power and mysteries contained in that Name. Therefore, the primary object of this devotion is the power and the mysteries contained in that Name, whereas the secondary object is the Name itself.
One more example will suffice to elucidate the principle fully. In the cult to the Holy Cross the terminus ultimus is the same as in all the other devotions of Christ. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with the Cross, and manifests the reason why He is deserving of a worship under such an aspect, is His death. Consequently, in the Devotion to the Holy Cross, the death of Christ is the primary, and the Cross the secondary object. It is not a controverted question that the primary and secondary objects of these three devotions are as stated. Hence, the principle stated may be applied safely to all the other devotions of Christ. In other words, the primary object is not the one by which the cult is named, but that which results from the correlation of the visible object or name of the devotion with Christ. This object might be called the relatively last, or the second-last. It is only relatively last, for it does not terminate in the Logos directly, but only mediately.
If the same principle is applied to the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, we find that the terminus ultimus is the Person of the Logos. The second-last terminus, which brings Christ into correlation with His Heart and manifests the reason why He is deserving of special worship under the aspect of His Heart, is His love. Therefore, the primary object of this Devotion by reason of excellence is the love of Christ, and the Heart thus becomes the secondary object. This is a self-evident truth. All admit that the primariness or secondariness of a thing depends on its origin, rank, excellence, importance, etc. Such being the Case, no one will deny that the love of Christ, whether human or divine, possesses a higher degree of eminence than His Heart, which is considered only as its symbol. Therefore, the Heart is subordinate to the Love by reason of the excellence of the latter.
The following quotations taken from authoritative sources will corroborate the contention that the love of Christ must be considered the principal or primary object of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart by reason of excellence.
I. Blessed Margaret Mary, in one of her letters to Mother de Saumaise, gives utterance to what might be considered a prophecy. " God will reign," she says, " in spite of His enemies, and will become the Master of our hearts, for such is the principal motive of this Devotion, viz., to convert souls to His love."
II. Father Croiset interprets the substance of the Devotion by saying: " It consists in nothing but a practice of love, its object is love, its principal motive is love, love must needs be its end." Again, " it is easy to see that the principal object and motive of this Devotion is the immense love which Jesus Christ has for men, the majority of whom show Him only contempt or, to say the least, indifference."
III. Father Galliffet expresses himself to the same effect. " As to the spiritual and principal object," he says, " it is pointed out very clearly in the following words: Behold the Heart which has loved men so much. This immense love with which the Sacred Heart is inflamed, forms the spiritual and principal object of this Devotion."
IV. Frigidianus Castagnorius, who acted as the Postulator Causae in the time of Pope Innocent XII, makes it clear that "the principal object of this Devotion is the immense love of the Son of God."
Many modern authors could be quoted in confirmation of the same statement. However, the point being sufficiently established, we shall refrain from multiplying proofs. The failure to differentiate between the object which is primary by reason of its intrinsic essence and the one which is primary only in the order of time, was the principal cause of the misunderstanding which arose among theologians on this point. The whole dispute hardly amounts to more than a mere logomachy, for the disagreement is apparent and verbal rather than real.
If one examines the frame of mind of a worshipper who, engages in paying tribute to Christ by means of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, he finds that, as a general rule, the love of Christ is not his foremost or immediate object. It is the tangible symbol, viz., the Heart, which claims his attention first, for there is no other vehicle calculated to facilitate to the same extent his visualization of the imperceptible object, i. e., love. Therefore, it may be safely said that for most minds the Heart of Christ in this Devotion is the mirror of love. A glance into that mirror suffices to disclose instantly the love it reflects. This psychological principle will explain how, under ordinary circumstances, the Heart may be the primary object in the mind of the worshipper in the order of time, though, by reason of intention or excellence, it is subordinate to the love.
Again, it is generally admitted that the end intended principally by the Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a special worship of the love of Christ This love is to be contemplated through the Heart, which is its symbol. But in the order of execution, that object is the primary which is instituted as the medium whereby another object is to be reached. Thus, this latter object, though primary in the order of intention, becomes secondary in the order of execution. It has been proved above that the love of Christ is the primary object of this Devotion. But a worship of this love is rendered less efficacious if it be dissociated or considered apart from the Heart.
