8 signs of Predestination, plus 4 special signs according to theologians

  • Thread starter Thread starter TominAdelaide
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TominAdelaide

Guest
From “Life Everlasting” by Fr Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange:

The Signs of Predestination

The Council of Trent[1] has declared that we cannot have on earth certitude of our predestination without a special revelation. Aside from this special revelation no man can know if he will persevere in good works to the end. Nevertheless there are signs of predestination which give a kind of moral certitude that one will persevere. The Fathers, especially St. Chrysostom, St. Gregory the Great, St. Bernard, St. Anselm, have enumerated certain of these signs, following the directions of Scripture.

Theologians enumerate eight signs of predestination.
  1. a good life;
  2. the testimony of a good conscience;
  3. patience in adversities for love of God;
  4. relish for the light and the word of God;
  5. mercy toward those who suffer;
  6. love of enemies;
  7. humility;
  8. special devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
Patience in adversity shows how inequality of natural conditions is compensated for by divine grace. This is the truth expressed in the beatitudes: Blessed the poor in spirit, blessed the meek, blessed those who weep, blessed those who hunger and thirst for justice, blessed the merciful, blessed the pure of heart, blessed the peacemakers, blessed those who suffer persecution for justice. These possess the kingdom of God. To bear patiently and perseveringly a heavy cross is a great sign of predestination.

Theologians sometimes add these special signs:
  1. a great intimacy with God in prayer;
  2. perfect mortification of the passions;
  3. the ardent desire to suffer much for the glory of Christ Jesus;
  4. an indefatigable zeal for souls.
We may here remind the reader of the great promise of the Sacred Heart, to those who receive Communion well on nine successive first Fridays. This promise, we have said,[2] is absolute though it supposes that Communion has been well made for these nine times. This would be, therefore, a grace given only to the elect.

The mystery of predestination reminds us that we can do nothing without the grace of Christ.[3] “What hast thou,” says St. Paul, “that thou hast not received?”[4] But predestination does not make superfluous our own efforts because adults must merit eternal life. No one is in heaven unless he has died in the state of grace. No one can go to hell except by his own fault. We are heirs of God, coheirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him that we may be glorified with Him.[5]

The book can be found for free here:


Notes
  1. Denz. nos. 805, 826.
  2. See chap. 18.
  3. John 15:5.
  4. 1 Cor. 4:7.
  5. Rom. 8:17.
 
Earlier in his work, Fr Garrigou-Lagrange also discussed these signs:

If we cannot be certain in advance of the grace of a good death, we can nevertheless exercise the signs of predestination, particularly those that follow:
  1. care to preserve ourselves from mortal sin,
  2. the spirit of prayer,
  3. humility which draws down grace,
  4. patience in adversity,
  5. love of neighbor,
  6. assistance to those who are afflicted,
  7. a sincere devotion to our Lord and His Holy Mother. In this sense, according to the promise made to St. Margaret Mary, those who have received Communion in honor of the Sacred Heart on the first Friday of nine successive months can have the confidence of obtaining from God the grace of a good death. A condition is here understood, namely, that the nine Communions have been made well. The grace of receiving them well is a grace given to the elect by the Sacred Heart.[1]
Notes
  1. See Dict. theol. cath., “Coeur-sacre,” by Father Jean Bainvel, S.J.: “The promise is absolute, supposing that the Communions have been well made. That which is promised is final perseverance, which brings with it contrition and the last sacraments in the necessary measure.” See ibid., the original text of this great promise of the Sacred Heart.
 
Is predestination being confused with foreknowledge? If one has free will, then predestination doesn’t make sense. Foreknowledge may be possible in a special revelation, and receiving such knowledge could guide the use of free will in a better direction, if necessary.

I don’t believe that anyone is “predestined” for anything.
 
Predestination is not the same as mere foreknowledge. Predestination is real and is Catholic, not Protestant teaching, and accounts for man’s free will.

How this happens the Church has not defined.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top