^8:23 And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the spirit: even we ourselves groan inwardly, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body. [n. 675]
^8:24 For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who sees that which he hopes for? [n. 681]
^8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. [n. 685]
^8:26 Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmity. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings, [n. 686]
^8:27 And he who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit desires: because he asks for the saints according to God. [n. 694]

675. After showing the excellence of future glory from the longing of the creature, the Apostle now shows the same from the longing of the apostles. For that cannot be a trifle which is desired so anxiously by great men.

In regard to this he does two things.

First, he states his proposition;

second, he proves it, at for we are saved by hope.

676. In regard to the first he does three things.

First, he describes the dignity of those longing when he says: and not only it, namely, the creature, awaits the glory of the sons of God, but ourselves, namely, the apostles, who have the first fruits of the Holy Spirit, namely, because the apostles had the Holy Spirit before others and more abundantly than others, just as earthly fruit which ripens earlier is richer and more delicious: Israel was holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his harvest (Jer 2:3); you have come to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven (Heb 12:23).

From this it is clear that the apostles are greater than all other saints no matter what their credentials, whether virginity or learning or martyrdom, because they have the Holy Spirit more fully.

677. But someone might say that some other saints have endured more torture and greater austerities for Christ than the apostles.

But it should be recognized that the amount of one’s merit depends principally, and in respect to essential reward, on charity. For the essential reward consists in the joy one has in God. But it is plain that one who loves God more will enjoy him more. Hence, the Lord promises that blessed vision to those who love: he who loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him (John 14:21). But according to the quantity of his works man merits an accidental reward, which is joy taken in those works. Therefore, the apostles performed the works they did with greater charity, which made their hearts prepared for much greater ones, if it had been opportune.

678. But if it is said: someone can try so hard that he will have charity equal to that of the apostles, the answer is that a man’s charity is not derived from himself but from God’s grace, which is given to each according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Eph 4:7).

Now he gives to each the grace proportionate to his calling. Thus, the most excellent grace was given to Christ, because he was called to have his human nature taken into the unity of his divine person; after him the greatest fullness of grace was conferred on blessed Mary, who was called to be the mother of Christ. Among the rest, however, the apostles were called to a greater dignity than all others, for they received from Christ himself the things that pertain to salvation and the commission to deliver them to others. Hence, the Church is in a sense founded on them, as it says in Revelation: the wall of the city had twelve foundations and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Rev 21:14); and God indeed has set some in the church; first apostles (1 Cor 12:28). Therefore, God gave them a greater abundance of grace than the rest.

679. Second, he mentions the anxiety with which they wait, when he says, we ourselves groan inwardly. This groaning indicates the distress caused by the postponement of something desired with great longing: hope deferred makes the heart sick (Prov 13:12); I am weary with my moaning (Ps 6:6).

This groaning, however, is more internal than external, because it proceeds from the hidden feelings of the heart and because it is concerned with internal goods. Hence he says, we ourselves groan inwardly: my groans are many (Lam 1:22).

680. Third, he mentions what is awaited, saying, waiting for the adoption of the sons, i.e., for the completion of this adoption. For this adoption was begun by the Holy Spirit justifying the soul: you have received the spirit of adoption of sons (Rom 8:15). But it will be brought to fulfillment when the body is glorified: we rejoice in the hope of sharing the glory of the children of God (Rom 5:2). And that is why he adds: the redemption of our body, so that as our spirit has been redeemed from sin, so our body might be redeemed from corruption and death: I shall ransom them from death (Hos 13:14); he will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Phil 3:21).

681. Then when he says, for we are saved, he proves what he had said with the following reason: hope is concerned with things not seen in the present but awaited in the future. But we have been saved through hope; therefore, we wait for the completion of salvation as something future.

682. First, therefore, he presents the minor premise, saying: for we, the apostles and the rest of the believers, are saved by hope, namely, because we hope for our salvation: we have been born anew to a living hope (1 Pet 1:3); hope in him at all times, O people (Ps 62:8).

683. Second, he presents the major premise, saying, but hope, i.e., the thing hoped for, that is seen, as though possessed at present, is not hope, i.e., not something hoped for, but something possessed. For hope is the expectation of something future: wait for me, for the day when I arise (Zeph 3:8).

684. Third, he presents proof of the major, saying, for who sees that which he hopes for? As if to say: hope implies a movement of the soul toward something not possessed. But when something is already possessed, there is no need for one to be moved toward it.

And it should be noted that because hope somehow springs from faith, he attributes to hope something that belongs to faith, namely, that it is concerned with something not seen: faith is the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1).

685. Fourth, he presents the conclusion, saying, but if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Hence it should be noted that patience, properly speaking, inclines one to tolerate tribulation with a certain evenness of mind: be patient in tribulation (Rom 12:12). But because the postponement of something good has an aspect of evil, even the continued wait for absent goods with evenness of mind is attributed to patience, although these pertain more to long-suffering; be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord (Jas 5:7). But patience is taken in both ways here, because the apostles awaited glory with evenness of mind, along with the delay and tribulation.

686. Then he shows how we are helped by the Holy Spirit in the defects of the present life, when he says, likewise, the Spirit.

First, for the fulfillment of desires;

second, for the direction of external events, at and we know that (Rom 8:28).

In regard to the first he does two things.

First, he states his proposition;

second, he clarifies it, at for we do not know.

687. First, therefore, he says: it has been stated that our mortal bodies will be vivified by the Holy Spirit, when our weakness shall be removed from us. Likewise in the present life in which we are still subject to weakness the Spirit also helps our infirmity, even though he does not take it away entirely: the spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heart of my spirit, as though weakness was not yet entirely removed, for the hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me (Ezek 3:14); and in this way he helped me: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt 26:41).

688. Then he clarifies what he had said, when he says for we do not know.

First, he shows the need for the Spirit’s help, which pertains to a weakness of the present life;

second, he indicates the way he helps, at but the Spirit himself;

third, he shows the efficacy of the help, at and he who searches.

689. First, therefore, he says: I am correct in saying that the Spirit also helps our infirmity. For in this we suffer a weakness that we do not know what we should pray for as we ought: why does God surround with darkness the man whose way is hid? (Job 3:23).

690. And it should be noted that the Apostle says there are two things we do not know, namely, what we should ask for in prayer and the manner in which we ought to ask. But both seem to be false.

For in the first place we know what we should ask for, because the Lord taught us: hallowed be your name (Matt 6:9), and so forth.

The answer is that we can know in a general way what it is suitable to pray for, but we cannot know this in particular.

First of all, if we desire to perform a virtuous deed, which is to fulfill God’s will on earth as it is in heaven, it can happen that the virtuous deed does not befit this or that person. For example, the quiet of contemplation is not expedient for a person who can press onward usefully in action, as Gregory says in Morals on Job 5:26: you shall come to your grave in ripe old age. Hence it says in Proverbs: there is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death (Prov 14:12).

Second, a person desires a temporal good to sustain life, which is to seek one’s daily bread, but it puts him in danger of death. For many have perished because of riches: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt (Eccl 5:13).

Third, a person desires to be freed from a bothersome trial which, nevertheless, is for him a guardian of humility. For example, St. Paul sought the removal of a thorn of the flesh, but it had been given him to keep him from being too elated by the abundance of revelations (2 Cor 12:7).

691. Likewise, it also seems that we know how to pray as we ought, since it says in James: let him ask in faith, with no doubting (Jas 1:6).

Here, too, the answer is that we can know in general, but we cannot discern exactly the special motive; for example, whether we are asking from anger or from a zeal for justice. Hence in Matthew, the petition of the sons of Zebedee was refused because, although they seemed to be asking to share in divine glory, their petition proceeded from vainglory or from elation (Matt 20:20).

692. Then he tells the way the Holy Spirit helps when he says, but the Spirit himself asks for us with unspeakable groanings. This statement seems to support the error of Arius and Macedonius, who held that the Holy Spirit is a creature and lower than the Father and Son. For intercession is the role of a lesser person. But if from the fact that he is said to intercede we understand that he is a creature subject to suffering and inferior to the Father, then from the fact that he intercedes with groanings, we should suppose that he is a creature subject to suffering and not yet enjoying beatitude—which no heretic has ever said. For a groan proceeds from pain that pertains to wretchedness.

Consequently we must explain asks, i.e., makes us ask, as in Genesis: now I know that you fear God (Gen 22:12), i.e., I have made you know.

693. For the Holy Spirit makes us ask, inasmuch as he causes right desires in us, because to ask is to make desires known. Now right desires arise from the ardor of love, which he produces in us: God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Rom 5:5).

But with the Holy Spirit directing and inciting our heart, our desires cannot but be profitable to us: I am the Lord who teaches you to profit (Isa 48:17); therefore, he adds, for us.

But when we desire something strongly and pray for it longingly, we suffer its delay with pain and groanings; therefore, he adds, with groanings, which he causes in our heart, inasmuch as he inspires us to desire heavenly things which are postponed for the soul. These are the moanings of the dove, which the Holy Spirit causes in us: moaning like doves (Nah 2:7).

They are unspeakable: either because they concern an indescribable thing, namely, heavenly glory: he heard things that cannot be told (2 Cor 12:4); or because those movements of the heart cannot be sufficiently described, inasmuch as they proceed from the Holy Spirit: who can explain the wisdom of the heavens? (Job 38:37).

694. Then he shows the efficacy of the help with which the Holy Spirit aids us, saying: he who searches the hearts, i.e., God, who alone searches the heart: you who tried the minds and hearts (Ps 7:9).

But God is said to search hearts, not as though he investigates the secrets of the heart, but because he knows clearly the hidden things of the heart: I will search Jerusalem with lamps (Zeph 1:12).

God, I say, searches hearts and knows, i.e., approves, according to what it says in 2 Timothy: the Lord knows who are his (2 Tim 2:19), what the Spirit desires, i.e., what he makes us to desire: all my desires are known to you, O Lord (Ps 38:9).

But the desires which the Holy Spirit causes in the saints are accepted by God, because he asks for the saints, i.e., makes them ask according to God, i.e., for things pleasing to God: the desire of the just ends in all good (Prov 11:23). As an example of this the Lord said to the Father: not as I will, but as you wilt (Matt 26:39).