Unspeakably deep and wondrous. Reminds me of the first line of the 1521 Loci Communes: "The mysteries of God are to be adored, rather than investigated." Glory to Your condescension, O Lover of Man!
Let us contemplate with faith the mystery of the divine incarnation and in all simplicity let us praise Him who in His great generosity became man for us. For who, relying on the power of rational demonstration, can explain how the conception of the divine Logos took place? How was flesh generated without seed? How was there an engendering without loss of maidenhood? How did a mother after giving birth remain a virgin? How did He who was supremely perfect develop as He grew up? How was He who was pure baptized? How did He who was hungry give sustenance? How did He who was weary impart strength? How did He who suffered dispense healing? He did He who was dying bestow life? And, to put the most important last, how did God become man? And -what is even more mysterious - how did the Logos, while subsisting wholly, essentially, and hypostatically in the Father, also exist essentially and hypostatically in the flesh? How did He who is wholly God by nature became wholly man by nature, not renouncing either nature in any way, neither the divine, though He is God, nor ours, through which He became man? Faith alone can embrace these mysteries, for it is faith that makes real for us things beyond intellect and reason. - St. Maximos the Confessor, First Century on Various Texts, #13
1 comment:
Pastor Weedon,
Greetings tonight. Such a GOOD quote you have "un-earthed" for us. As I was reading I thought of John 3,13: And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Ilove that scripture. Please let me quote our chubby German brother:".” This means that it is impossible for man, born of flesh and blood, to know the mind and the counsel of God. The Son, who descended from heaven, must inform us. It was not possible for us to ascend into heaven to learn this, for none but Christ could ascend or descend or remain above. No one is able to say: “This or that is the plan of heaven.” But the Son of God, who is above, who is in the very heart of the Father, descends from heaven and reveals it all to us. Therefore John says: He who comes from above is above all."ML
Too,"Whoever wishes to be a Christian, let him pluck out the eyes of his reason."
I hope that is not to extreme for any one.
Salvatore
Wartburg NJ
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