Doctors of the Church 2:58

Order vs. Disorder-a sneak preview of the Aquinas series coming up (re-post for the Feast Day)

On the subject of order, and the fact that so many people are complaining about the increase of the disorder in the Western nations of the world, I have one comment. Order must first be found within.

Too many Catholics are treating the Church like a political entity. It is an institution created by Christ Himself to save souls, to bring people to God.

Order in the Church is sadly lacking and we see this even among the highest members of the clergy today.

Disorder is from sin.

But let all things be done decently, and according to order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

The word order here is used in the definition of Webster--to put persons or things into their proper places in relation to each other.

Why order? Because order represents the relationship which is found in the Trinity.

Within the Trinity there is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, united in Love.

Here is a glimpse of Thomas Aquinas indicating order in the Trinity. The order of the Trinity is continual love in the relationship among the Persons of the Trinity.

Our lives must reflect that order.

Now distinction in God is only by relation of origin, as stated above (28, 2, 3), while relation in God is not as an accident in a subject, but is the divine essence itself; and so it is subsistent, for the divine essence subsists. Therefore, as the Godhead is God so the divine paternity is God the Father, Who is a divine person. Therefore a divine person signifies a relation as subsisting. And this is to signify relation by way of substance, and such a relation is a hypostasis subsisting in the divine nature, although in truth that which subsists in the divine nature is the divine nature itself. Thus it is true to say that the name "person" signifies relation directly, and the essence indirectly; not, however, the relation as such, but as expressed by way of a hypostasis. So likewise it signifies directly the essence, and indirectly the relation, inasmuch as the essence is the same as the hypostasis: while in God the hypostasis is expressed as distinct by the relation: and thus relation, as such, enters into the notion of the person indirectly. Thus we can say that this signification of the word "person" was not clearly perceived before it was attacked by heretics. Hence, this word "person" was used just as any other absolute term. But afterwards it was applied to express relation, as it lent itself to that signification, so that this word "person" means relation not only by use and custom, according to the first opinion, but also by force of its own proper signification.

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1.htm