Reply Obj. 1: Our Lord is speaking of that which is most important
and directly intended in the worship of God.

Reply Obj. 2: These external things are offered to God, not as though
He stood in need of them, according to Ps. 49:13, "Shall I eat the
flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?" but as signs
of the internal and spiritual works, which are of themselves
acceptable to God. Hence Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x, 5): "The
visible sacrifice is the sacrament or sacred sign of the invisible
sacrifice."

Reply Obj. 3: Idolaters are ridiculed for offering to idols things
pertaining to men, not as signs arousing them to certain spiritual
things, but as though they were of themselves acceptable to the
idols; and still more because they were foolish and wicked.
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EIGHTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 81, Art. 8]

Whether Religion Is the Same As Sanctity?

Objection 1: It would seem that religion is not the same as sanctity.
Religion is a special virtue, as stated above (A. 4): whereas
sanctity is a general virtue, because it makes us faithful, and
fulfil our just obligations to God, according to Andronicus [*De
Affectibus]. Therefore sanctity is not the same as religion.

Obj. 2: Further, sanctity seems to denote a kind of purity. For
Dionysius says (Div. Nom. xii) that "sanctity is free from all
uncleanness, and is perfect and altogether unspotted purity." Now
purity would seem above all to pertain to temperance which repels
bodily uncleanness. Since then religion belongs to justice, it would
seem that sanctity is not the same as religion.

Obj. 3: Further, things that are opposite members of a division are
not identified with one another. But in an enumeration given above
(Q. 80, ad 4) of the parts of justice, sanctity is reckoned as
distinct from religion. Therefore sanctity is not the same as
religion.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 1:74, 75): "That . . . we may
serve Him . . . in holiness and justice." Now, "to serve God" belongs
to religion, as stated above (A. 1, ad 3; A. 3, ad 2). Therefore
religion is the same as sanctity.

_I answer that,_ The word "sanctity" seems to have two
significations. In one way it denotes purity; and this signification
fits in with the Greek, for _hagios_ means "unsoiled." In another way
it denotes firmness, wherefore in olden times the term "sancta" was
applied to such things as were upheld by law and were not to be
violated. Hence a t