S. Thomas tells us that ordination impresses a character, and that the character is a spiritual and indelible sign or seal, by which the soul is marked for the exercise of the acts of divine worship, and for the teaching of the same to others.[1] The priesthood of Christ is the source of all divine worship.[2] All the faithful are conformed to Christ by the character impressed upon them in Baptism and Confirmation: and priests also in Ordination.[3] But in Christ Himself there was no character, because He is the examplar and type of all characters; for Christ is the Character or Figure of the Father, and all divine perfection is in Him, of which the character in us is
- ↑ "Per omnia Sacramenta fit homo particeps sacerdotii Christi, utpote percipiens aliquem effectum ejus; non tamen per omnia Sacramenta aliquis deputatur ad agendum aliquid, vel recipiendum quod pertineat ad cultum sacerdotii Christi; quod quidem exigitur ad hoc quod Sacramentum characterem imprimat."—Summa S. Thomæ, P. iii. q. lxiii. a. 6.
"Character proprie est signaculum quoddam quo aliquid insignitur, ut ordinatum in aliquem finen."—Ibid. a. 3. "Character ordinatur ad ea quæ sunt divini cultus."—Ibid, a. 4.
- ↑ "Totus autem ritus Christiana religionis derivatur a sacerdotio Christi."—Ibid. a. 3.
- ↑ "Pertinet autem aliquod Sacramentum ad divinum cultum tripliciter: uno modo per modum ipsius actionis; alio modo per modum agentis; tertio modo per modum recipients. … Sed ad agens in Sacramentis pertinet Sacramentum ordinis. … Sed ad recipientes pertinet Sacramentum baptismi. … Ad idem etiam ordinatur quoddammodo confirmatio. … Et ideo per hæc tria Sacramenta character imprimitur, scilicet per baptismum, confirmationem, et ordinem."—Ibid. a. 6.
