Matt Fradd
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The Feast of the Incarnation

A summary of the following article from Aquinas:

It is most suitable that the invisible things of Godshould be manifested by visible things. Creatures, as St. Paul says(Rom. 1:20), prove the existence, and show the attributes of God.But the Incarnation, the coming of God himself as man, mostmagnificently shows forth the divine perfections. For God to becomeman is a work of wondrous goodness, wisdom, justice, and power;these "invisible things of God" could not be more noblymanifested than they are in the Incarnation. Now, since goodnesscommunicates itself and spreads itself abroad, it is fitting thatInfinite Goodness should communicate itself in the most perfectmanner, and it does so in the Incarnation. Therefore, it issupremely fitting that God should become man.


Whether it was fitting that God should become incarnate?

Objection 1. It would seem that it was not fitting for God to become incarnate. Since God from all eternity is the very essence of goodness, it was best for Him to be as He had been from all eternity. But from all eternity He had been without flesh. Therefore it was most fitting for Him not to be united to flesh. Therefore it was not fitting for God to become incarnate.

Objection 2. Further, it is not fitting to unite things that are infinitely apart, even as it would not be a fitting union if one were "to paint a figure in which the neck of a horse was joined to the head of a man" [Horace, Ars. Poet., line 1]. But God and flesh are infinitely apart; since God is most simple, and flesh is most composite—especially human flesh. Therefore it was not fitting that God should be united to human flesh.

Objection 3. Further, a body is as distant from the highest spirit as evil is from the highest good. But it was wholly unfitting that God, Who is the highest good, should assume evil. Therefore it was not fitting that the highest uncreated spirit should assume a body.

Objection 4. Further, it is not becoming that He Who surpassed the greatest things should be contained in the least, and He upon Whom rests the care of great things should leave them for lesser things. But God—Who takes care of the whole world—the whole universe of things cannot contain. Therefore it would seem unfitting that "He should be hid under the frail body of a babe in swathing bands, in comparison with Whom the whole universe is accounted as little; and that this Prince should quit His throne for so long, and transfer the government of the whole world to so frail a body," as Volusianus writes to Augustine (Ep. cxxxv).

On the contrary, It would seem most fitting that by visible things the invisible things of God should be made known; for to this end was the whole world made, as is clear from the word of the Apostle (Romans 1:20): "For the invisible things of God . . . are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." But, as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 1), by the mystery of Incarnation are made known at once the goodness, the wisdom, the justice, and the power or might of God—"His goodness, for He did not despise the weakness of His own handiwork; His justice, since, on man's defeat, He caused the tyrant to be overcome by none other than man, and yet He did not snatch men forcibly from death; His wisdom, for He found a suitable discharge for a most heavy debt; His power, or infinite might, for there is nothing greater than for God to become incarnate . . ."

I answer that, To each things, that is befitting which belongs to it by reason of its very nature; thus, to reason befits man, since this belongs to him because he is of a rational nature. But the very nature of God is goodness, as is clear from Dionysius (Div. Nom. i). Hence, what belongs to the essence of goodness befits God. But it belongs to the essence of goodness to communicate itself to others, as is plain from Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv). Hence it belongs to the essence of the highest good to communicate itself in the highest manner to the creature, and this is brought about chiefly by "His so joining created nature to Himself that one Person is made up of these three—the Word, a soul and flesh," as Augustine says (De Trin. xiii). Hence it is manifest that it was fitting that God should become incarnate.

Reply to Objection 1. The mystery of Incarnation was not completed through God being changed in any way from the state in which He had been from eternity, but through His having united Himself to the creature in a new way, or rather through having united it to Himself. But it is fitting that a creature which by nature is mutable, should not always be in one way. And therefore, as the creature began to be, although it had not been before, so likewise, not having been previously united to God in Person, it was afterwards united to Him.

Reply to Objection 2. To be united to God in unity of person was not fitting to human flesh, according to its natural endowments, since it was above its dignity; nevertheless, it was fitting that God, by reason of His infinite goodness, should unite it to Himself for man's salvation.

Reply to Objection 3. Every mode of being wherein any creature whatsoever differs from the Creator has been established by God's wisdom, and is ordained to God's goodness. For God, Who is uncreated, immutable, and incorporeal, produced mutable and corporeal creatures for His own goodness. And so also the evil of punishment was established by God's justice for God's glory. But evil of fault is committed by withdrawing from the art of the Divine wisdom and from the order of the Divine goodness. And therefore it could be fitting to God to assume a nature created, mutable, corporeal, and subject to penalty, but it did not become Him to assume the evil of fault.

Reply to Objection 4. As Augustine replies (Ep. ad Volusian. 137): "The Christian doctrine nowhere holds that God was so joined to human flesh as either to desert or lose, or to transfer and as it were, contract within this frail body, the care of governing the universe. This is the thought of men unable to see anything but corporeal things . . . God is great not in mass, but in might. Hence the greatness of His might feels no straits in narrow surroundings. Nor, if the passing word of a man is heard at once by many, and wholly by each, is it incredible that the abiding Word of God should be everywhere at once?" Hence nothing unfitting arises from God becoming incarnate.

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December 01, 2022
Day 5 of Advent

THE ERROR OF ARIUS ABOUT THE INCARNATION

In their eagerness to proclaim the unity of God and man in Christ, some heretics went to the opposite extreme and taught that not only was there one person, but also a single nature, in God and man. This error took its rise from Arius. To defend his position that those scriptural passages where Christ is represented as being inferior to the Father, must refer to the Son of God Himself, regarded in His assuming nature, Arius taught that in Christ there is no other soul than the Word of God who, he maintained, took the place of the soul in Christ’s body. Thus when Christ says, in John 14:28, “The Father is greater than I,” or when He is introduced as praying or as being sad, such matters are to be referred to the very nature of the Son of God. If this were so, the union of God’s Son with man would be effected not only in the person, but also in the nature. For, as we know, the unity of human nature arises from the union of soul and body.

The...

Day 5 of Advent
November 27, 2022
Day 1 of Advent

RESTORATION OF MAN BY GOD THROUGH THE INCARNATION

We indicated above that the reparation of human nature could not be effected either by Adam or by any other purely human being. For no individual man ever occupied a position of pre-eminence over the whole of nature; nor can any mere man be the cause of grace. The same reasoning shows that not even an angel could be the author of man’s restoration. An angel cannot be the cause of grace, just as he cannot be man’s recompense with regard to the ultimate perfection of beatitude, to which man was to be recalled. In this matter of beatitude angels and men are on a footing of equality. Nothing remains, therefore, but that such restoration could be effected by God alone.

But if God had decided to restore man solely by an act of His will and power, the order of divine justice would not have been observed. justice demands satisfaction for sin. But God cannot render satisfaction, just as He cannot merit. Such a service pertains to one who ...

Day 1 of Advent
Meme Tuesday (yeah, yeah, I forgot, ok!?)

How good is this

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I ask whoever might read this for your prayers.

Two years ago, my aunt told me about a young man named Tim who had been heavily addicted to drugs and attempted suicide. He didn't give up though and shortly after fell in love with a young woman. The prospect of being a father formed within him the decision to get away from the drugs, to reform his life.

There were so many odds stacked against him, but he had been clean for the last one and a half years, finished his education, gotten a certificate to apprentice others.

Yesterday night, Tim was found lifeless at his house's door at 28 years old, he had been stabbed in the chest three times. The police is still unsure whether it was murder, but it's very much possible. He had worked with the police against the drug milieu he had formerly been in.

I have prayed for him for the last two years, and now ask you to join me. We pray for the repose of Tim's soul and for his family, that they might not despair at God and that his murderer might ...

I had a pretty long conversation today with a friend, named Kyra, and without too much detail, I can tell how much she really needs Jesus and the peace He brings, but she is fighting very hard to keep Him away.

Please pray that Jesus will bring her into His arms and into His church and will grant her the peace and love she needs so badly. I’d really appreciate if you offer one Our Father for her so she may know she has a Father in Heaven who loves her.

Thank you

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The Most Common Objections to Entering Religious Life

We still await a renewal of religious life in the Church, as the number of men and women entering religious communities remains historically low.

It’s likely that some of you reading this have a call to religious life. But there may be things standing in the way of discerning your call.

Here are a few of the most common objections people make to becoming a religious sister or brother.

1. I can’t commit to something for the rest of my life.
We live in an age of broken promises. The high divorce rate has destroyed many people’s faith in life-long commitments, including religious life. Plus, our modern world offers us seemingly limitless alternatives to whatever vocation we are considering.

When you join a religious order, you don’t immediately promise to stay there for life. You go through a period of discernment where you’ll test your call. Don’t let fear of commitment keep you from trying religious life. If it’s not meant for you, God and your superiors will make that clear.

Time spent in a religious order is never wasted. You’ll grow in ways that will help you in the future, no matter what vocation you ultimately choose.

2. I have a strong desire for marriage.
Good! Then you’ll make a great sister or brother. Here’s the thing: The vocation to marriage is written in our human nature. Even those called to the priesthood or religious life may feel the tug toward marriage at some point.

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Do Catholics Believe the Church is More Important than the Bible?

Protestants believe in sola scriptura, the idea that Scripture alone is the final authority for determining Christian beliefs and practices. Catholics contend that we need an authoritative Church to correctly interpret the Bible.

Some Protestants have countered this by saying that Catholics believe that the Church is more important than the Bible.

That’s not true. Here’s why.

The Church is not a source of revelation.
When we speak of the “three-legged stool” of Scripture, Tradition, and the Church, note that only Scripture and Tradition pass on God’s divine revelation. The Church is not a source of revelation but rather the infallible interpreter of the other two “legs.” In this sense, you could say that the Bible is more important than the Church.

But Scripture needs an authoritative interpreter, which is the Church’s Magisterium. When there seems to be opposition between the words of Scripture and the Church, we listen to the Church.

“Doesn’t this put the Church above Scripture?” you may ask.

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What to Do When God Makes You Wait

Nobody likes to wait, especially in our fast-paced world. We enjoy fast food, instant connections with people via social media, and on-demand news updates.

Yet life still makes us wait on many things, whether it’s discovering our vocation, finding a new job, or recovering from a long illness.

God gives us a special virtue to help with the waiting: patience. It’s something we can all use more of.

What is patience?
Patience is a form of courage. There are two parts to courage: attacking and enduring. Enduring involves patience.

Patience helps you hold onto something good and preserve the use of your reason despite obstacles, especially obstacles that have stood in your way for a long time.

For example, you may have to care for a sick loved one for a month. This places some obstacles in the way of certain goods you want to pursue, such as traveling. Patience helps you wait for that good or opens you up to another good God wants to give you in its place.

Patience balances you between two extremes.
Some people expect nothing but bad things out of life. Others think they are above misfortune. Both extremes are dangerous.

God wants you to experience some trials in life to help you grow, but He doesn’t want you to be destroyed by them. Patience helps you peacefully accept that bad things will happen and fortifies you so you can face them. The good will win in the end.

Patience doesn’t require you to be a doormat. There are some obstacles in life that you should confront. For example, if you’re bullied at work or school, you should take steps to stop it. (This may require getting help from others and that’s OK.)

Be assured that God will grant you complete freedom from tribulations if you follow Him. He can neither deceive nor be deceived. Meditate often on this truth to find the patience to bear whatever life brings you.

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