The Perfection of Our Lord Before His Birth

The human soul of Christ was sanctified in the firstinstant of his conception by its union with the Word of God. Fromthe first, Christ as man had the fullness of grace sanctifying bothhis body and his soul.

From the first instant of his conception, Christ had aperfect human nature with complete use of reason, that is, withperfect intellect and will.

Therefore, the sanctification of Christ’s humannature included the complete conforming of his human will to thedivine will; this act is meritorious; hence, Christ meritedperfectly in the first instant of his conception. And this perfectmerit is complete; God made man cannot possibly increasein merit.

From the first instant of his conception Christ’shuman nature was taken into the unity of Person. Therefore, fromthe first, Christ wasa comprehensor, that is, he had perfectbeatitude in the possession of the beatific vision of God.