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24/1/17
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T20 Sunday Reminiscere
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Bernardino da Siena
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The wife is indeed the vessel of her husband, and conversely, as the Apostle Peter testifies in his First Canonical Epistle (c. 3): “showing honor to the weaker vessel, that is, the wife.” Each of them rightly possesses the vessel of his or her body when it is governed and restrained according to the judgment of right reason. But since the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 7, “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife,” three questions must be raised for clearer explanation.
• First, we ask whether this apostolic statement is to be understood in such a way that each spouse is bound to render the marital debt to the other whenever, however, and at whatever time it is requested […].
• (f. g4v) Second, we ask, on account of the same apostolic statement that the woman does not have authority over her own body, whether a woman sins if, at the pleasure of her husband—even if disordered—she nevertheless renders the debt to him when he requests it […].
• (f. g5v) Third, it must be asked, on account of the same apostolic word, whether obedience in the marital act toward one’s spouse is so strict that every nod or even a simple request for such a debt binds one to obedience as by necessity, under peril of mortal sin.
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