God makes Himself known to man: the Revelation. 02

Compendium of the Catechism 6. What does God reveal to man? God in his goodness and wisdom reveals himself. With deeds and words, he reveals himself and his plan of loving goodness which he decreed from all eternity in Christ. According to this plan, all people by the grace of the Holy Spirit are to share in the divine life as adopted “sons” in the only begotten Son of God.

Introduction In The Confessions, St. Augustin says:  “great art Thou, o Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom infinite.(…). Yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy creation. Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee. “ BOTTICELLI, Sandro St Augustine in His Cell Tempera on panel, 41 x 27 cm cm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Main ideas BLOEMAERT, Abraham The Emmaus Disciples 1622 Oil on wood, 145 x 215,5 cm Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels

1. The desire of God in man’s heart The desire of God is inscribed in the heart of man. God doesn’t cease to bring man to Himself. Man can only find peace in God. Man is a religious being.  In Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 18, 28) RAFFAELLO Sanzio Study for St Paul Preaching in Athens Red chalk over stylus underdrawing, 278 x 418 mm Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

2. The ignorance or the denial of God Man can forget about God or even reject Him:  Ignorance, rebellion against evil that one suffers or sees, worldly cares and materialism, the bad example of those who claim to be Chistians, ideas contrary to religion, the attitude of the sinner. None of these reasons justifies the ignorance or the denial of God. GOES, Hugo van der The Fall Oil on oak, 33,8 x 23 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

3. The existence of God can be known by natural reason Man can know the existence of God in two ways: one in a natural way and the other through supernatural means. Natural way: has as its starting point the creation.  With the sole light of reason, man knows that neither these things nor he himself have the reason for being in themselves.  We are contingent, created and dependent beings.  Man can get to know the existence of God, the Creator, the necessary and eternal Being, first cause and ultimate end of everything, through creation. MICHELANGELO Buonarroti Creation of the Sun, Moon, and Plants (detail) 1511 Fresco Cappella Sistina, Vatican

4. God goes out in search of man God has revealed Himself to man out of love. God offers him a definitive response to the important questions about the meaning and the purpose of human life. History of the Revelation:  Adam and Eve, to whom He promised salvation and offered His covenant.  Abraham and the People of Israel.  He sent Jesus Christ to us. CARAVAGGIO The Calling of Saint Matthew Oil on canvas, 322 x 340 cm Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome

5. Jesus Christ, Word of the Father Jesus Christ:  Son of God made man.  the only perfect and definitive Word of God the Father. Jesus Christ has already said everything that God wanted to communicate to man.  There could be no other revelation after Christ. GRECO, El The Adoration of the Name of Jesus (detail) late 1570s Oil and tempera on pine panel, detail size 29 x 24 cm National Gallery, London

6. The sources of Revelation: Sacred Scripture and Tradition The Revelation of God is found in Sacred Scripture and in the divine Tradition. The Sacred Scripture is the Word of God transmited in writing.  The Bible. Books inspired by God : 45 Old Testament + 27 New Testament. Tradition: divine Revelation entrusted by Chist and the Holy Spirit to the apostles, and fully transmited orally to the Church. DÜRER, Albrecht Christ Among the Doctors 1506 Oil on panel, 65 x 80 cm Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Madrid

7. The Church, guardian and interpreter of the deposit of the faith Christ entrusted the Revelation of God to His Church.  Deposit of faith: Sacred Scripture and Tradition. To what purpose? In order that she may guard, interpret, profess and preach it to the whole world. This is the Christian doctrine, that the Church unceasingly teaches.

8. Knowing the Bible The four Gospels occupy a privileged place, with Jesus Christ as its center. It is logical that every Christian knows the Sacred Scripture, especially the four Gospels:  Reading it.  Meditating it. Ignorance of Sacred Scripture is ignorance of Christ (St. Jerome) MINIATURIST, French Bible of Charles V 1372 Illumination on parchment Rijksmuseum, The Hague

Resolutions for Christian life

Resolutions to move forward Think about this phrase of St. Augustine: “You made us for Yourself, oh Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You”. Read each day something from the Bible, starting with the four Gospels.