How Does In God's Love relate to the Catholic Church?

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to 
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 2 We Believe in One Triune God (continued) 12/12

            Part 10 Eternal Triune God      

229          Catholics  believe in one Triune God, which Jesus Christ revealed to us.  As the Catechism points out, “from the beginning, the revealed truth of the Holy Trinity has been at the very root of the Church's living faith,… Such formulations are already found in the apostolic writings, such as this salutation taken up in the Eucharistic liturgy: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."(733)   The messengers assert that the Trinity is so important that, like all Catholics, all prayers should start with the Trinity: “Blessed saints, start your prayers in the Blessed Trinity.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  Start each message in the same manner.”(734)   To call upon God in the name of the Trinity is so crucial it makes up almost every prayer of the Catholic Church, especially the prayer of the Rite of Exorcism, “Be gone, (Satan) then, in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Spirit. ” (735) 

230           Indeed, the messengers think along the same lines.  They state that “If such unusual appearances come, call on God, and He will swiftly come to your aid.  Speak to Him (what has appeared before you) in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Such spirits who are from God love this welcoming.  Such spirits who are signs of sorrow very quickly flee from God, whose very spirit is reached in such calling.”(736)  

231           While we profess our belief in the Trinity, we make use of philosophical terms.  The Catechism states that, "these terms which from then on would be used to signify an ineffable mystery, ‘infinitely beyond all that we can humanly understand’". (737)  The messengers have a great appreciation for the Trinity and  acknowledge that the Trinity is greater than we can grasp: “Reaching out in the Spirit of Spirits who is God the Holy Spirit, in the Father and the Son who is Christ Jesus.  In this reaching is life beyond man’s imagination.”(738)

232           The Catechism relates that “In order to articulate the dogma of the Trinity, the Church had to develop her own terminology with the help of certain notions of philosophical origin: … "person" …”(739)   It then goes on to further explain that “The Trinity is One. We do not confess three Gods, but one God in three persons, the “consubstantial Trinity’.<83>  The divine persons do not share the one divinity among themselves but each of them is God whole and entire: ‘The Father is that which the Son is, the Son that which the Father is, the Father and the Son that which the Holy Spirit is, i.e. by nature one God.’<84>  In the words of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), ‘Each of the persons is that supreme reality, viz., the divine substance, essence or nature.’<85>”(740)

233           “The divine persons are really distinct from one another. "God is one but not solitary."<86> "Father", "Son", "Holy Spirit" are not simply names designating modalities of the divine being, for they are really distinct from one another: "He is not the Father who is the Son, nor is the Son he who is the Father, nor is the Holy Spirit he who is the Father or the Son."<87> They are distinct from one another in their relations of origin: "It is the Father who generates, the Son who is begotten, and the Holy Spirit who proceeds."<88> The divine Unity is Triune.”(741)   The messengers themselves use the philosophical term “person”, but simply speak of the ineffable mystery as “Mighty one in three persons, we are so inspired and so much blessed in your Spirit. Never was there a Being like our God.”(742)

234           The Catechism insists that because there are three persons does not mean that God is divided: “The divine persons are relative to one another.  Because it does not divide the divine unity, the real distinction of the persons from one another resides solely in the relationships which relate them to each other.”(743)   The Catechism also highlights in its key summary statements that: “Inseparable in what they are, the divine persons are also inseparable in what they do.”  (744) The messengers vehemently assert that “Christ, our Lord, is one in the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Never was God divided.  In this Spirit is such beauty.”(745)

235           The Latin tradition of the Creed confesses that the Spirit "proceeds from the Father and the Son (filioque)".(746)    The Catechism states "‘The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is God, one and equal with the Father and the Son, of the same substance and also of the same nature. . . Yet he is not called the Spirit of the Father alone,. . . but the Spirit of both the Father and the Son."<73> The Creed of the Church from the Council of Constantinople confesses: ‘With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified.’<74>”(747)  The Catechism also cites as evidence for this theological stance the descent of the Holy Spirit after Christ’s return to the Father.  “The eternal origin of the Holy Spirit is revealed in his mission in time. the Spirit is sent to the apostles and to the Church both by the Father in the name of the Son, and by the Son in person, once he had returned to the Father. <69>The sending of the person of the Spirit after Jesus' glorification <70> reveals in its fullness the mystery of the Holy Trinity.”(748)

236           The messengers simply state that the “Holy Ghost who remains forever in such splendor with the Father and the Son,”(749)  and, “Reaching out in the Spirit of Spirits who is God the Holy Spirit, in the Father and the Son who is Christ Jesus.”(750)   Not only would the messengers make great Catholics, but they would make great Roman Catholics.

237           In a summary statement, the Catechism points out that, while all three “persons” of God are important and equal, we tend to focus on the divine mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.  “But within the single divine operation each shows forth what is proper to him in the Trinity, especially in the divine missions of the Son's Incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(751)   Sometimes In God’s Love is focused on the Holy Spirit: “Holy Spirit, sent from the Father, song of never ending life, from your Spirit are spirits created.”(752)   At other times, it is more focused on the Son of God or the Son of God and the Holy Spirit.

238           The closeness of the Holy Spirit and the Son of God has been mentioned (paragraph 172), but it is appropriate here to expound on the richness of this relationship even further in this treatment of the Trinity.  In the following five quotes, notice how the messengers freely intertwine the intimate relationship of the Son and the Holy Spirit without confusion or theological nausea or dogmatic trauma.  From this it is reasonable to conclude that they know what they are talking about.

239            First, “Blessed is the Lamb that was slain for man.  In this song, sung in such beauty, King is Christ, our God.  In this Spirit are all spirits inscribed.  Sing, O you wise ones, in clean spirits.  In this prayer is your Savior slain and risen.  Such sacred Spirit is our God who is forever.  One being who can do all things in His Spirit and is everywhere.”(753)

240           Second, “In God’s Spirit, Christ Jesus is the victim of sacrifice for your sins.  In this sweet Lamb is our God.  His Spirit is ever with you, small ones of Earth.”(754)

241           Third, “Blessed is our God forever and ever.  Blessed is the Lamb that bled and died for mankind.  Praise His name in all creation.  In this song is the whole creation of God’s Spirit.  This is our God forever and ever.  He is our God, and we are His people…. His Spirit came in the body of a man.  Blessed was His coming.  Such a race, they killed Him.  His body bled and died on the Earth, and He redeemed man in His own blood.  O, such a God.  In all this, His Spirit returns in such love, pouring out upon the Earth.”(755)  

242           Fourth, “In the Holy Spirit, signs of Sacred Heart of Jesus pierced with a lance.”(756)  

243           Fifth, “Blessings in God’s Spirit on all who are in Christ Jesus.”(757)

244           To summarize this section on the Trinity: the Catholic Church believes that God is one.  God is three persons in one God.  The Trinity is eternal.  God is never divided. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.  The son is Jesus Christ.  The messengers agree with all these statements.  In looking at all of the statements that the messengers have regarding the Trinity, it appears to me that they agree on every theological assertion that the Church professes  to be revealed by God.

            Part 11 Summary
 
245           As mentioned in the Preface, there are three layers to most Chapters: 1) The theological statements that are the same and are even phrased the same as our Tradition 2) The theological statements that are the same as our Tradition, but are expressed differently and 3) A theological  emphasis of a different part of Tradition of the Church.  Of course, we could debate a little on some of the topics between layer 1 or 2, or layer 2 or 3. There are about 146 theological statements in this Chapter. 

246           Many of the statements are not only the same as what we as Catholics profess, but are expressed in the same manner. They are the following ideas.  God is one and is called Father and He, the uncaused cause, created everything.  God is our Father and if God created everything, He is the messengers’ Father, too.  God made everything out of love.  God is Almighty King over all and He can do anything.  God existed before He created.  God is Creator who creates good and beautiful things.  God creates everything, including the messengers and angels and blesses His creation.  God gives life to everything.  Angels will be present on Judgment Day.  God’s Spirit is in all that He has made.  Living beings continue to exist because of God.  There are spirits of the Holy Spirit like the Spirit of Wisdom.  God’s beauty is reflected in Earth’s beauty, but God is so much more.  The Earth was created in God’s wisdom and is God’s possession.  God gives us rules to follow.  We are made in God’s image and God created the human race.  God creates each individual at conception.  God made man and woman in His likeness.  God creates us to know, love, and serve Him in this world and to be with Him in the next.  Mankind has dominion over the Earth.  God is awesome, humble, pleasant, happy, steadfast love and beautiful and His beauty is seen in the Earth and the saints.  All virtues rest in God’s love.   God is life, peace, joy, truth, wisdom, faithfulness and sometimes called mother.  God desires us, calls us, inspires us, is our friend and loves us.  God is willing to forgive.  God does chastise and has justified wrath. God is pleased when we pray.  We are to follow His commands, serve Him, remain faithful, bring our work to God, and repent.  God’s name has power.  God has a plan.  Angels belong to God.  God has a chosen people.  God owns the book of life.  God the Father is the first person of the Trinity.  The Father is kind and gentle and His spirit listens and plays.  Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus is Christ, King, Lord, God and man.  Jesus died on a cross for another person and for us.  Jesus forgives the sorry criminal on the cross.  Jesus forgives us all .  Jesus rose from the dead.  Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.  The Sacred Heart of Jesus redeems us and gives us His love.  Jesus is with us.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit have a common mission and a unity.  God’s Spirit is vast, awesome, giver of life, creates all, is in all, and continues to create in the created.  The Holy Spirit is the breath of God and source of love.  In the Holy Spirit are the spirits of kindness, gentleness, and mercy.  The Holy Spirit comes to those who desire him.  The fruits of the Holy Spirit are joy and peace.  In the Holy Spirit are the spirits of wisdom, understanding, right judgment, knowledge, truth, righteousness, gladness and hope.  The beginning of love is being wise.  Solomon was wise.  The Spirit of wisdom guides and safeguards us.  The Holy Spirit teaches, heals and brings saints into union.  We call upon God when we call upon the name of the Trinity.   There are three persons in one God.  The Trinity was never divided.  The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.  The Son of God is Jesus.   That is a lot of agreement.

247           The following are theological statements that agree with the Tradition of the Catholic Church, but things are expressed differently, or perhaps taken a little further than we have traveled with our doctrine.  God creates in music using God’s breath and voice.  God sings in spirits.  Spirit of Spirits is a title for the Holy Spirit.  (Note that in a Franciscan manner, everything made is a spirit, of the spirit even brother sun, sister moon, mother Earth, and Earth time.)  God made us human.  God is all beauty and is polite.  God is small in stature, but His Spirit is vast.  God is forever young, not an old man.  God’s wrath is when people turn away from the protection of God.  God does not go to hell because God does not want to.  Spirits there have rejected Him and God does not go where He is not wanted.  God is described with hands, eyes, ears, and other physical attributes.  One of the reasons God became man was to know how it feels to be a human.   (Note that the Book of Hebrews appreciates that we have a High Priest who knows how it feels to be human.)  Along with St. Gregory the Great, they believed that Jesus saved his executioners from the fires of hell.  The Holy Spirit is the unity of all things.  All the joys of life are in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the answer to all things.  In God’s Spirit is heaven.  Wisdom is how God communicates.  Virtue matures us from a child to a spirit in full bloom.  The Spirit of Virtue makes us kind.  The Spirit of Virtue is our appropriate wedding clothes for heaven.   Wisdom and Virtue come from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  There are spirits of good example, good desires and light.  The spirit of virtue vomits out people who take part in homosexual acts.  (Note two thoughts: 1) Jesus talks about vomiting out the lukewarm, 2)  God is always ready to forgive the repentant sinner.)  Perhaps we look at the list and think, “well there is nothing new here,” and we are right, there is nothing new here, just things expressed differently.  Perhaps we look at this list and think that one topic should really be in the next list, or the list that preceded this one.  We could have a lively discussion on that. 

248           There are a few statements that have a theological emphasis of a different part of Tradition of the Church, much like the examples presented of the historical development of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the Petitions of Good Friday Pre and Post Vatican II.  When evaluating thoughts that are not our own, we always have to remember that we are talking about God.  The Catechism reminds us, we may have a desire for God, but our knowledge of God is limited therefore our language of God is also limited(758)  and when contemplating the Trinity that it is an “ineffable mystery, infinitely beyond all that we can humanly understand.’"(759)  

249           I believe the following thoughts cause us to stretch our Catholic minds a little, but not to the point where we have a doctrinal headache.  A saint is anything, even a “part of God” that does God’s will.  Earth and other spirits are called Saints.  The spirit of Earth time is a saint.  Mankind has dominion over the Earth, even the elements.  (Note that Jesus did say if we had the faith, we could move mountains.)  Earth will stay in our spirit forever.  (Note that we do believe in the resurrection of the dead and God did create us this way.) God is body of bodies.  God is sister and brother.  (Please look at the context.) Jesus was comforted on the cross by the blood of martyrs.   That is a pretty short list.  I do not believe any of these present a challenge to what we believe as Catholics, especially when read in the context they are presented here in “The Presentation” and in the context they are written in the book In God’s Love.

  The next section in Part One   Chapter 3 We Believe There is Evil in the World: 1/3