In his book, The Belief of Catholics, Msgr. Ronald Knox writes, "God became Man in order that, dying, he might atone for our sins, and win us the graces normally necessary to the attainment of salvation."
There is absolutely nothing unusual or extraordinary about this statement. It is one hundred percent absolutely fundamental true Church doctrine.
That being said, reading it made me wonder -- if Adam and Eve had never sinned, if all of mankind was still totally innocent, even frolicking fancy free in the Garden (with no shame), would God still have become man?
Certainly He would not do so for salvation purposes, but could there be another reason that God became man?
It seems to me that He would have. Salvation is not the only reason for Emmanuel, God with us. It seems that He because man also because He loves us and wanted to join us to Him more fully.
Pope Benedict speaks of the Annunciation as a marriage proposal. There is something in that -- that Jesus wanted to "marry" humanity. God wanted to establish, not merely a parental relationship with us, but a spousal relationship as well, a loving communion of persons that is both unitive and fruitful. In love, He wanted to join fully with humanity, not merely spiritually, which is only partially, but in the fullness of our being, spirit and body, two become one, wholly apart from the issue of salvation.
(See also CCC 458, 460)
.
There is absolutely nothing unusual or extraordinary about this statement. It is one hundred percent absolutely fundamental true Church doctrine.
That being said, reading it made me wonder -- if Adam and Eve had never sinned, if all of mankind was still totally innocent, even frolicking fancy free in the Garden (with no shame), would God still have become man?
Certainly He would not do so for salvation purposes, but could there be another reason that God became man?
It seems to me that He would have. Salvation is not the only reason for Emmanuel, God with us. It seems that He because man also because He loves us and wanted to join us to Him more fully.
Pope Benedict speaks of the Annunciation as a marriage proposal. There is something in that -- that Jesus wanted to "marry" humanity. God wanted to establish, not merely a parental relationship with us, but a spousal relationship as well, a loving communion of persons that is both unitive and fruitful. In love, He wanted to join fully with humanity, not merely spiritually, which is only partially, but in the fullness of our being, spirit and body, two become one, wholly apart from the issue of salvation.
(See also CCC 458, 460)
.
2 comments:
Oh, I guess you know that this is going to make me look real good at the next TOB class. It's the very thing we've been discussing, the spousal relationship.
I will just casually work it in, as though I thought of it all by myself!
Of course, then I will fell guilty and ashamed and admit that it was you...
Thank you for sharing, I like it worth reading.
Post a Comment