CHAPTER IV. MERIT IN HUMAN ACTS
59. Definition. Merit understood in its strict sense is that property of a good act which makes it deserving of reward ; in the concrete it is the good act itself as deserving reward.
Kinds,
1. Merit is twofold— condign and congruous. Condign merit is found in those good acts for which a reward is due in justice or at least because of some previous promise. Congruous merit is based on a certain equity or suitability ; v.g., a faithful servant has a strict claim injustice to a fixed salary (condign merit), but it is only fitting that he receive certain gifts from his master (congruous merit).
2. Both forms of merit already mentioned can exist in a perfect and less perfect form. Perfect condign merit or that which is based on strict justice is an act which is equivalent to the reward obtained which therefore cannot be withheld without a manifest violation of justice. Such merit exists in the case of a just salary agreed upon as due to the conscientious worker. In the supernatural order, only the actions of the God-man possessed this form of condign merit. Condign merit in its less perfect form is an act which to some extent is equivalent to the reward received. It is in this way that man merits eternal life because there does exist a certain equality between eternal life and acts based on supernatural grace. Perfect congruous merit rests on a genuine equity between the act and its reward *, it is thus that a man in the state of grace who is a friend of God can merit the conversion of another. In its less perfect form congruous merit is a form of request ; thus a man can merit or rather request the grace of final perseverance.
60. Six conditions must be verified for the existence of supernatural MERIT
1. The work or act performed must be free.
2. The work must be morally good.
3. The work must be done from a desire to please the reward-giver, namely God ; that is to say, there must be at least some influence of charity.
4. The agent must be a wayfarer m this Lite.
5. The agent must be in the state of sanctifying grace.
6. There must exist a divine promise.
61. The object of merit is that which can be merited in the sight of God by man’s acts.
1. A man in the state of grace can perform acts that possess condign merit in reference to : a) eternal life, and b ) an increase of grace and glory (Council of Trent, Sess. 6, c. 32 on justification). A man in the state of mortal sin cannot perform any act that possesses condign merit or perfect congruous merit.
2. Understanding merit as congruous merit in its less perfect form a man in the state of grace can merit : a) final perseverance, b ) restoration to divine friendship after a mortal sin that may be committed in the future. Understanding merit as congruous merit in its perfect form, man is able to merit : <1) temporal goods ; b ) actual graces and the conversion of others.
3. The saying : “ God does not deny grace to anyone doing as much as lies in his own power ” must be understood in a limited sense of a person doing what is within his power with the help of actual grace.