Paradiso: Canto XIII -- The Intellect of the Faith in the Sun

In this final canto of the sun, we see the double garland (the two wheels of the chariot that propel the dual spokes-men of God) turning in both directions around Dante and singing in its activity the most concise description of Christ's dual nature and the Trinity in the entire Comedy: "Three Persons in One Divine Nature/ and It and human nature in One Person" (26-7). Almost a haiku but for its being 20 instead of 17 syllables, the song is taken up by the doctors of the Church as self-evident, no longer in need of explication, as Thomas Aquinas foresaw in the vision that stopped his pen. While Pope had once taught us the proper study of mankind is man, we learn from Aristotle that we ought to study man's soul to what extent we can.



Nonetheless, there is still something for Aquinas to say to resolve Dante's remaining question for these souls -- for if none were ever born that matched Solomon's gifts, then what of the first and second Adams (not Henjums)? The first weren't born, but were chthonically sprung, and the second was announced by an angel as conceived. Solomon, then, who had no match in royal prudence, was as Aristotle described, "For in speaking about a man's character we do not say that he is wise or has understanding but that he is good-tempered or temperate; yet we praise the wise man also with respect to his state of mind; and of states of mind we call those which merit praise virtues." Solomon was replete with virtue to be so wise in both his rule and his faith. We future teachers, who are not paralyzed in spirit or in body, should be half as much; moreover, if St. Julie Billiart was able in her paralysis to be such an educator, then what more might we do to spread the Word. In doing such, we should neither teach beyond what we were taught or judge "neighbors with God's eyes:/ for the pious man may fall, and the thief may rise" (142-3).

S.