Apologeticae sive Theologiae Fundamentalis, Tomus II (Pars Altera): Demonstratio Catholica

Holiness understood in the simple sense belongs to those faithful who at least abstain from grave sins, fulfil the grave precepts, and are accordingly in the state of sanctifying grace, by which they are inserted into Christ the head as living members. From this holiness one ascends through various degrees to extraordinary holiness, or holiness understood emphatically, which stands out by the heroicity of the virtues and the working of miracles, i. e., which consists in the heroicity of the virtues and is confirmed by the working of miracles.

1. By the heroicity of the virtues. Heroic Christian virtue is said to be that perfection and excellence of virtue "which makes a man, with regard to the matter of that virtue, operate above the common manner of operating of other men (namely, also of the just) and in this to be like God"¹. Indeed, given the height of this virtue and the infirmity of men, it is manifest that comparatively fewer faithful will attain to such extraordinary holiness. Yet that at all times at least some members illustrate the whole Church by the heroicity of the virtues is evident from the Church's very author, end, and nature. The author of the Church, Christ Jesus, not only shone with the example of the highest holiness, but expressly proposed His example to us for imitation. But it cannot come to pass that at least some disciples, imitating this example, should not be like the Master in the exercise of extraordinary virtue.² The end of the Church is that it preserve and exercise the whole Christian religion. But extraordinary holiness is the apex, the flower, the fruit of the whole Christian religion. For Christ "gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and cleanse for Himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works"³ "that we might be holy and unspotted in His sight in charity"⁴. The nature of the Church is extraordinarily holy, since the Church is the body of Christ⁵, the bride of Christ⁶, the fullness of Christ⁷, the mystic Christ. But this most holy nature of the Church will necessarily and efficaciously manifest itself in the acts of extraordinary holiness. Therefore at all times the Church will be conspicuous by the heroic virtue of some of its members. Nay more:

2. By the working of miracles. Indeed, Christ promised that miracles would be worked in the Church of all times, especially through the saints. For again He said: "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; upon the sick they shall lay their hands, and they shall recover… Amen, amen I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do."⁸

These words expressly declare that miracles will always be present in the Church, since they mention "signs (σημεῖα)" and "works (ἔργα)" as simply annexed to faith, while the faith of the Church will never fail. Moreover, that miracles will be wrought especially through the saints, the same words of the Savior indicate at least implicitly. For that not all the faithful are chosen to work miracles is evident both from the facts of history and from the end of miracles. From the facts of history it is clear that never, not even in the age of the apostles, did all believers possess the charism of miracles, but for the most part only those who devoted a more eminent care to the propagation and conservation of the faith by the ministry of the word and the example of their life. And indeed the end of miracles is chiefly this, that miraculous works be criteria and, as it were, seals of faith and holiness.⁹ Therefore miracles are fittingly and commonly worked through those who stand out among all by faith and holiness. These merit to be called "believers" by excellence, and accordingly the promise of Christ holds for them: "The works that I do, he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do."