How do we know that God is personal?
Effects, no matter how far removed, can never be greater than their causes. If a person exists now, they have a first cause. Persons are greater than non-persons. First cause canât be less than personal â Person.
What are the two aspects of unity?
simple and unique
3 aspects of justice being fulfilled before Incarnation
Retribution: was happening but was insufficient, b/c Hell was deserved Correction: reparation of damage, could happen but generally wasnât Reward: couldnât happen
Was the Incarnation sufficient enough to get us out of Hell?
yes; the Incarnation was a regeneration of human nature. God became human so we can become divine. Divinization: we participate in Godâs divinity, applied through sacraments Retribution: still happening but now sufficient, Hell could now be avoided Correction: now happens as an ongoing process Reward: could now happen (in virtue of Christâs passion and death)
what is the greatest out of all the attributes?
mercy
What is the key Latin phrase about Yahweh?
âIpsum Esse Subsistensâ - meaning âbeing itself existingâ
what do we mean when we say God is eternal?
He has neither beginning nor end, He simply IS God lives outside of time God lives in an all-encompassing present; every event and being is present to God (no before/after; just is).
merit formulas
explain merit using the analogy of allowance
parents give an allowance to their child even though he did not partake in the earning of that money. the money is now the child's and he can do whatever he wants with it. this is like how Christ died for us and shared His sufferings with us; from that, we can now gain and use merit
what do we mean when we say original sin broke our nature?
Consequences of nature being disobeyed, NOT punishment Created to live for and with God -> rebellion against our purpose and nature brought terrible consequences Adam and Eve suffered repercussions -> descendants as well Fallen nature passed onto us (canât be pure b/c they no longer have that) Distrust PRECEDES disobedience Romans 5:12: sin came into the world through one man -> arrival of death -> death to all b/c we all sin no longer live in Original Justice sin fractured nature and shattered whole natural order
What does St. Paul mean when he says he is filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ?
Christ allowed us to participate in gaining merit and suffering with Him. As head of Church, Christ takes on our sufferings, past, present, and future.
why do bad things happen to innocent people?
Those who have died are rejoicing now in Godâs presence. Their lives were a success! Perhaps God in His wisdom has spared them a worse fate. Perhaps God in His mercy has allowed them to become our intercessors. We canât call God cruel just b/c we canât explain the suffering of the innocent. God allowed suffering to befall the most innocent one of all: His Son. And He had a good reason for it. So if He allows other innocent people to suffer, it must be for a good reason. Why bad things happen to good people is still a mystery, but God suffered, too; He didnât spare His only Son. The worst suffering happened to the most innocent Person.
what should be our initial response to suffering?
compassion (SUFFER WITH THEM)
if God has foreknowledge of everything we do, how do we have free will?
âForeknowledgeâ is misnomer. God is completely outside of time and space. God is primary cause of everything, but heâs not the secondary cause of everything, he communicates being to all of us. Existence of laws and commandments implies freedom. if no freedom -> no need for laws Knowledge b/c of action, not action b/c of knowledge. just because i know that my child will pick candy over fruit, it doesn't constrain or cause choice
how is correction happening before the incarnation?
it could, but it generally wasn't happening
what did st thomas aquinas come up with
ipsum esse substiens: being itself subsisting, the act of existing on its own. it is neccessary! He can't not exist
what do we mean when we say mercy transcends justice
gives more reward and less punishment than what is due
why do we still suffer?
God allows people to offend each other and Him. retribution and correction is still happening. God can use evil to bring about a greater good.
quote from st. athanasius
"God became man so that man might become God" became man so that we could become DIVINE we now participate in God's divinity through the sacraments
explain the incarnation and passion using the analogy of cups and buckets
after the incarnation, we became open cups that could receive grace. after passion, we became buckets with arms, who are now capable of gaining merit, not just passively receiving it
what were we before the fall?
Before fall, man was capable of suffering and death but didnât. After fall, suffering and death became necessary consequences. Creation (no longer subjective) to man Body (no longer subjective) to soul Before fall, man capable of sinning but didnât sin. After fall, sin became inevitable b/c senses (no longer subjective) to reason reason (no longer subjective) to God Undeserved grace of Original Justice was lost and could only be restored through undeserved mercy of God
why can we say whatever we do to the least of God's children we do to Him?
we are united to Christ. whatever we do to a part of the body, we also do to Him
what does it mean to offer it up?
unite our sufferings to Christ. our sufferings are His, and His sufferings are ours
absoluteness
"I AM WHO AM". It is impossible for God to not not exist, because it is NECCESSARY. "ipsum esse substiens"
infinity
God is without limit, actual infinity of countable things impossible! But, God is pure act.
Spirituality
God is immaterial and outside of space.
Unity
God is simple-pure being (no parts) and unique: impossible for two gods b/c one has to be inferior. Possesses the fullness of perfection
Eternity
God has neither beginning nor end. God is outside of time (doesnât experience time), everything is present. God lives in an all
Transcendence/immanence
âManeo, manereâ: to remain. God is far above and beyond every creature. Innermost in every creature, permeating each creatureâs entire being.
Intelligence/omniscience
Understands himself, and every conceivable idea, concept, or design. Knows everything there is to know about himself and about every single existing thing. Act of being is in Godâs act of being.
Omnipotence
Almighty, able to do anything that is not intrinsically contradictory (canât and wonât b/c it canât be done). Ex: God canât sin.
Goodness
Didnât create sin, contradicts. Supremely good, utterly desirable, and devoid of any evil whatsoever (if being good, then desired). All good = more desired.
Mercy
Revealed to us. Greatest attribute of God. What people need.
Divine Mercy in My Soul
St. Faustina. Expanded human understanding of mercy
Dives in Misericordia
St. John Paul II.
Matthew 20: 16
mercy precedes, includes, and transcends justice; they go together. Meaning of transcends justice: gives more reward and less punishment than due. Justice: what people deserve (natural virtue). Mercy: what people need (supernatural virtue)
Meaning of transcends justice
gives more reward and less punishment than due.
Justice
what people deserve (natural virtue).
Mercy
what people need (supernatural virtue)
James 2: 12-13
âmercy triumphs over judgmentâ.
Exodus 20: 56
1st commandment, God punishes evil less than rewards good (MERCY!).
Hell is
a place and state.
Ontological goodness
things with being are good even if not alive.
Living beings have souls, which is their
substantial form.
The NEED to eat distinguishes
mortality
Divine mercy
more than needed
How Do We Know if God is Personal?
Effects, no matter how far removed, can never be greater than their causes. If a person exists now, they have a first cause. Persons are greater than non-persons. First cause canât be less than personal â Person.
If God has foreknowledge of what weâll choose, how are we free? Either God doesnât know everything or weâre not free.
âForeknowledgeâ is misnomer. God is completely outside of time and space. God is primary cause of everything, but heâs not the secondary cause of everything. Communicates being to all of us Examples: Just b/c I know what my child will choose, my knowledge doesnât constrain or cause choice. rereading/rewatching a movie doesnât affect the plot or characters Existence of laws and commandments implies freedom No freedom -> no need for laws Knowledge b/c of action, not action b/c of knowledge
Romans 5:12
sin came into the world through one man -> arrival of death -> death to all b/c we all sin
In Garden of Eden, man lived in
Original Justice
Original Justice
Creation (subjective) to man. Body (subjective) to soul. Senses (subjective) to reason. Reason (subjective)to God. Sin fractured nature and shattered whole natural order (e.g. ionic solid disrupted)
Romans 8:19-23
"groan": condition of entire cosmos
Before fall
man capable of sinning but didnât sin.
After fall, sin became inevitable b/c
senses (no longer subjective) to reason. reason (no longer subjective) to God. Undeserved grace of Original Justice was lost and could only be restored through undeserved mercy of God
Before the Incarnation: three aspects of justice
Retribution: was happening but was insufficient, b/c Hell was deserved. Correction: reparation of damage, could happen but generally wasnât. Reward: couldnât happen
Incarnation
regeneration of human nature (reason for Christmas, defines Catholicism). God became human so we can become divine. Divinization: we participate in Godâs divinity, applied through sacraments. Retribution: still happening but now sufficient, Hell could now be avoided. Correction: now happens as an ongoing process. Reward: could now happen (in virtue of Christâs passion and death)
Why do we still suffer after the Incarnation?
Retribution and correction still happening. God allows people the freedom to offend Him and to hurt each other. God can use suffering and evil to bring about a greater good
Why did Christ suffer at all?
Father didnât desire it directly, but permitted it Love, not suffering, is what gains merit for us âQuod non assumptum, non sanatum est.â - Nazianzen What has not been assumed has not been healed Christ took on all human experience to heal suffering Substitution not the same as representation. Christ did both. In His innocence, He substituted for us; in His humanity, He represented us. Can contribute to our own salvation with actions absorbed by Christ
quote from Nazianzen
âQuod non assumptum, non sanatum est.â What has not been assumed has not been healed. Christ took on all human experience to heal suffering. Substitution not the same as representation. Christ did both. In His innocence, He substituted for us; in His humanity, He represented us. Can contribute to our own salvation with actions absorbed by Christ
Why did Christ suffer so much? (refer Summa Theologica III, q46, a3)
Love is best proven through sacrifice. Virtually inevitable, considering Christâs mission and sinfulness of His enemies. More merit in difficulty: passion and death satisfy retributive and corrective justice, which came from Incarnation. Won for us the reward of glory in Heaven and capacity to gain merit ourselves. Christ OVERPAID debt! Mercy transcends justice. Crucifixion is overpaying debt: does not restore us to Adam and Eveâs state before fall, but one BEYOND
Incarnation made us
open cups instead of closed cups; now open to grace
passion/death turned us into
open buckets with arms, capable of earning merit, not just passively receiving it
Analogy of allowance
shared sufferings with us, can now gain and use merit
What is the meaning of our suffering?
United to Christâs (Mt. 25:34-40): his sufferings are ours, and ours are His Colossians 1:24: we âfill up what is lackingâ Blending of natures Meaning of life: melding of natures = melding of benefits Lacked b/c Christ made it that way -> allows us to participate Simon of Cyrene Forced to help so Crucifixion COULD happen Human cooperation on way to Golgotha -> happens now
Colossians 1:24
we âfill up what is lackingâ. allows us to participate in Christ's suffering and gaining of merit
Suffering accepted in obedience (what God wills) turns into
love
Love expressed in obedience leads to
suffering
Christ allows us to share His sufferings so we can share His
merits Christ takes on our humanity so we can share divinity
What About Suffering of an Innocent?
Those who have died are now rejoicing in Godâs presence, lives were a success! Perhaps God in His wisdom has spared them a worse fate. Perhaps God in His mercy has allowed them to become our intercessors. Canât call God cruel just b/c we canât explain suffering of innocent. Ex: we see the corner of the tapestry while God sees the whole. Corner looks ugly but tapestry as whole is beautiful. God allowed suffering to befall the most innocent one of all: His Son. If He allows other innocent people to suffer, it must be for a good reason. Why would bad things happen to good people is still mystery, but God suffered too; He didnât spare His only Son.
Initial Response to Suffering
Compassion: suffer with them
Why do animals suffer?
When Original Sin brought death and suffering to humans, all creation suffered as well Animals have different suffering and meaning than humans Genesis 3:17-18: âground cursedâ Romans 8:19-23: âcreation subjected to futilityâ Original Sin intensified hostility of nature towards man and beast but animals suffered before the fall (predator and prey) Inferior species die to make room for superior -> circle of life Laws of physics interact naturally -> suffering disasters Donât have same self-consciousness as us (suffer differently) React to stimuli and feel pain, donât pity themselves Doesnât mean existence is worthless: good of existence outweighs possibility of its suffering
Evil is
privation, not actual thing. God didnât make it.
Evil and suffering come about b/c
humans have free will. Inherent risk of freedom doesnât negate good.
God can permit evil and suffering in order to bring about
a greater good in the long run.
âGod allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.â
C.S. LEWIS
Christian suffering as consequence of original sin is
redemptive when united to Passion
Evil and suffering manifest Godâs mercy, causing
gratitude in those who receive it
Evil and suffering make what possible
heroic virtue
Gratitude is greater b/c
evil makes us appreciate more of what we have; evil makes good more desirable.
if there is evil and suffering in the world, God isn't omnipotent or benevolent
Evil is privation. If there is existence, there must be non-existence, which is evil. Perfection -> non-perfection Existence > non-existence Can you blame existence for non-existence? NO! 2) Original sin broke our nature. Nature is not to be messed with (DNA, nuclear power). If physical nature can break, so can spiritual nature. Consequences of nature being disobeyed, NOT punishment Created to live for and with God -> rebellion against our purpose and nature brought terrible consequences Adam and Eve suffered repercussions -> descendants as well Fallen nature passed onto us (canât be pure b/c they no longer have that) Distrust PRECEDES disobedience Sin fractured nature and shattered whole natural order (e.g. ionic solid disrupted) -> God disrupted = whole cosmos disrupted
after fall
suffering and death became necessary consequences. Creation (no longer subjective) to man Body (no longer subjective) to soul