active.[1] The character of Baptism is a passive power for the reception of all other Sacraments, and for conformity as sons to the Son of God. The character of Confirmation is an active power for the public witness of the faith, and for the life of action and of patience as good soldiers of Christ. The character of Ordination is an active power for the exercise and ministry of divine worship.[2] The sacerdotal character, therefore, is a participation of the Priesthood of Christ and the closest configuration to Him in His office of mediator. Finally, this character is the cause and source of sacramental grace, proper to each of the three Sacraments which impress it, and commensurate to their ends and obligations.
The word "character" means the precise outline of an engraving, as on a seal, and the impression of it signifies that a mark or reproducduction of the same outline, as by a signet, is left upon the soul. This is clearly a metaphor, as
- ↑ "Character est quoddam signaculum quo anima, insignitur ad suscipiendum, vel aliis tradendum ea quæ sunt divini cultus. Divinus autem cultus in quibusdam actibus consistit. Ad actus autem proprie ordinantur potentiæ animæ, sicut essentia ordinatur ad esse. Et ideo character non est sicut in subjecto in essentia animæ, sed in ejus potentia."—Ibid. a. 4.
- ↑ "Divinus autem cultus consistit vel in recipiendo aliqua divini vel in tradendo aliis. Ad utrumque autem horum requiritur quædam potentia: nam ad tradendum aliquid aliis requiritur quædam potentia activa; ad accipiendum autem requiritur potentia passiva. It ideo character importat quamdam potentiam spiritualem ordinatam ad ea quæ sunt divini eultus."—Ibid. a. 3, and q. lxxii. a. 5.
2*
