8 June 2012: The Father revealed by the Son

Many religions invoke God as ‘Father’. The deity is often considered the ‘father of gods and of men’. In Israel, God is called Father since he is Creator of the world. Even more, God is Father because of the covenant and the gift of the law to Israel, ‘his first-born son’. God is also called the Father of the king of Israel. Most especially he is ‘the Father of the poor’, of the orphaned and the widowed, who are under his loving protection. Jesus revealed that God is Father in a novel sense: he is Father not only in being Creator; he is eternally Father by his relationship to his only Son who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Mt 11:27) Thus the apostles confess Jesus to be the ‘Word’: In the beginning was the ‘Word’, and the ‘Word’ was with God, and the ‘Word’ was God; as the image of the invisible God; as the radiance of the glory of God, the very stamp of his nature (Jn 1:1; Col 1:15; Heb 1:3). Following this apostolic tradition, the Church confessed at the first ecumenical council at Nicaea (325) that the Son is ‘consubstantial’ with the Father, that is, only one God with him. The second ecumenical council, held at Constantinople in 381, kept this expression in its formulation of the Nicene Creed and confessed ‘the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father’. ‘The Incarnation of God’s Son reveals that God is the eternal Father and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, which means that, in the Father and with the Father, the Son is one and the same God.’ Henceforth, Christ is “seated at the right hand of the Father: By ‘the Father’s right hand’ we understand the glory and honor of divinity, where he who exists as Son of God before all ages, indeed as God, of one being with the Father, is seated bodily after he became incarnate and his flesh was glorified.” Being seated at the Father’s right hand signifies inauguration of the Messiah’s kingdom, fulfillment of the prophet Daniel’s vision concerning the Son of Man: “To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is everlasting, which will not pass away, and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed. After this event the apostles became witnesses of the kingdom [that] will have no end.” Ref: “Catechism of the Catholic Church”, Nos. 238, 240, 241, 242, 262, 663, 664 The Mystery of the Trinity “O Lord our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth.” (Ps 8:2) These words bring us trembling and adoring before the great mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity. Before him, we must more than ever humbly accept the call of the wise man when he says: “Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.” (Eccl 5:2) God is the only reality beyond our powers of measuring, observing, controlling, gaining exhaustive knowledge. That is why he is God. If this be true for the Godhead in general, it is all truer for the mystery of the Trinity, of God himself. But it is not a matter of three separate Gods (a blasphemy), nor of simply diverse impersonal modes of presenting himself on the part of one Divine person. This would mean radically impoverishing the richness of his interpersonal communion. This Christian novelty: ‘the Father’ loved us so much as to give us his Only Begotten Son; through love, ‘the Son’ poured out his blood for our sake; and ‘the Holy Spirit’ was actually “given to us” in such a way as to bring into us that same love with which God loves us. (cf Rom 5:5) Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, pp445-6 The hiddenness of the Holy Spirit’s Work You have only to go on as you are doing, but explain yourself in a way that would distress those without experience of this state of prayer [ie, heartfelt]. You say that you do nothing, and yet you are always doing something or you would be in a state of pure idleness; but your soul acts so gently that you do not perceive your interior acts of consent and adherence to the Holy Spirit. The stronger these inspirations are, the less you should act; you should merely follow what is drawing you and allow yourself to be drawn gently on ... Your manner of behaving in times of storm and upset enchants me: submission, total self-abandonment without reserve, being content with lack of contentment when God wills it. In those conditions one advances more in one day than in a hundred filled with sweetness and consolations. Your total, continual and universal self-abandonment to God through a sentiment of confidence and union with Jesus Christ, always doing the will of his Father, is the most divine and surest method of success in everything; try to communicate it to everyone. Finally, if there is some little act of reparation to be made to our neighbor, let us never fail in this duty, but take the opportunity to conquer generously our pride and human respect. Ref: “The Fire of Divine Love: Readings from Jean-Pierre de Caussade”, Edited by Robert Llewelyn, 1995, p45 Examining our motives To be people who act for the right intention, we must examine the motives of our actions. Let us consider in the presence of God what impels our behavior. Why for example do we omit to carry out apostolate? Because we are afraid of what people will say? Our Lord gives a clear rule: “When you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you” (Mt 6:2); ie, never advertise our good deeds nor ponder at length what we have done well. “Your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing.” (Mt 6:3-4) Nothing we do goes unnoticed by our Father God. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:397 Our Lady -- “O Mother, Mother! With that word of yours, ‘Fiat’ -- ‘Be it done’ -- you have made us brothers of God and heirs to his glory. Blessed are you! (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Way”, 512) • Dedication of Our Lady du Val, of the Order of Citeaux, seven leagues from Paris, under Louis XIII on the 18th of April, 1616 — Manuscripts of Church. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Alexandria church, in Egypt built by St Peter, patriarch of this city. — Baronius, ann. 310. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of Alexandria, Egypt (4th Century). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.starharbor.com/santiago/m feasts.html); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html) • The Immaculate Heart of Mary. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm) • Madonna of Ludmierz: Principal Marian shrine of Tatra Mountain, Poland. (John Paul II, “Witness to Hope”, 1999, p316)