FS #36: Dogmatic Christocentrism, Part 8 – Jul 12 – Homily – Fr Terrance
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Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 12, 2023, where he continues his series on Franciscan Spirituality, explaining how the idea of Christ as the supreme glorifier through his incarnation relates to the doctrinal Christocentric basis of this spirituality.
Christ as the ultimate glorifier of God. Through Christ's incarnation, he encompasses all creation, bringing everything into God's glorious light. This, as Father Matthias Schaben puts it, includes our human nature, which unites both the spiritual and material realms.
We previously explored early Christian spirituality's focus on Christ's divinity, necessitated by the need to counter various heresies. From Saint Bernard of Clairvaux onwards, Christ's sacred humanity became a focal point. This focus reached its zenith with Saint Francis, whose devotion led to a profound conformity with Christ's humanity, mirrored in his stigmata.
This shift towards acknowledging Christ's humanity reverberated across pre-Renaissance Europe, prompting theologians to explore the theological implications of this new emphasis. This gave rise to the idea that the human nature of Christ, while being part of the Word, doesn't diminish his humanity or limit his abilities. Christ, according to John Duns Scotus, is the apex of beauty and perfection, and his human actions, elevated by their union with his divine nature, bring supreme glory to the Trinity.
Jesus glorified the Father on earth, as mentioned multiple times in the Gospels. He knew the Father in a unique way, as stated in [Matthew 11:27 - No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?27]. Jesus disclosed the Father to the world, referencing [John 17:6 - I revealed your name to those whom you gave me - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/17?6] and exemplified perfect love and servitude, as indicated in [John 15:10 - If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?10]. His humanity, therefore, offers the highest homage to the Trinity, making Christ the universal glorifier.
To us, glory means beholding God and possessing him for eternity, a reality we attain through God's grace and beatific vision. The glory we enjoy will reflect the glory we've given God in our lives. This principle applies to Christ, the supreme glorifier, whose supreme grace and glory overflow to all of us. Duns Scotus says Christ's glory surpasses that of all the saints combined.
Conclusively, everything exists for God's glory, which Christ fulfills through his humanity. By honoring and glorifying God, he grants us glory. This concept infuses profound meaning into our lives, reminding us of our roles in glorifying God. Hence, we ought to pray for the grace to glorify God more in our lives, for the more glory we give, the more we receive. This way, we show our love for him and better prepare ourselves for eternity.
00:00 - Introduction, Christ as Supreme Glorifier
01:01 - Historical Perspectives of Christ's Divinity and Humanity
02:47 - Influence of St Francis and the Humanity of Christ
04:33 - Theology of Christ's Dual Nature and His Role in Glorifying the Trinity
06:02 - Glory and Its Role in Eternity for Creatures
08:23 - Ultimate Purpose of Creation for Glorification
Ave Maria!
This is a continuation of his series of homilies on Franciscan Spirituality - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNN151zTIO4&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xgMllKrzSasL2Hljd5BHom
The material for this series comes primarily from Ciccarelli, Marciano M., "I capisaldi della spiritualità francescana" in Italian, which translates as "The Cornerstones of Franciscan Spirituality". No English translations exist at the time of this recording.
Mass: Sts. John Jones and John Wall - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4061
Readings: Wednesday 14th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071223.cfm
1st: gen 41:55-57, 42:5-7, 17-24
Resp: psa 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
Gsp: mat 10:1-7
More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=674&r=1440
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and YouTube: https://youtu.be/4H4dxMQZC6Q
