The Philokalia Vol. 1-IV faber & faber [1979-1995]

'God is one, unoriginate, incomprehensible, possessing completely the total potentiality of being, altogether excluding notions of when and how, inaccessible to all, and not to be known through image by any creature.' ST. MAXIMOS THE CONFESOR [Vol. II, PG. 114]

This is how St. Maximos starts his Centuries on Theology and the INCARNATE DISPENSATION of the Son of God. In a similar introduction St. Thomas Aquinas opens his summa contra gentiles by stating that God Himself cannot be known, but by way of remotion we can know what he is not' tha tis, by removing all that he is not, we can peer into the scriptures revelation and contemplate the beauty of who he has revelaed Himslf to be; Aquinas relies upon sacred scripture as a rule, just as Pseudo-Dionysius did in the opening paragraph of the Divien Names, as the only way in which God can be gazed upon, in faith, and in darkness of revelation. Both in teh natural order of reason and in the supernatural order of Divein Revelation, Maximos puts forth these stepping stones to the reality of God in order to set a foundation for Theological thinking in the Divine Dispensation and to reveal the Son of God.

He says He is One, since Unity and simplicity is part of God's nature, 'God is Spirit.' Even Augustine opens his great book , the Confession, extolling the greatness fo God by naming his essential attributes.' As the Catholic Church teaches, 'all the Divine Attributes are identical among themselves and with the Divine Essence.' Now, the Theotokos, she bore this Sacred Humanity in her womb and gave birth to Him, the WORD. So seeing this WORD leap down from Heaven within her womb at the OVERSHADOWING of the HOLY SPIRIT was the INCARNATION. Who could comprehend this 'God form God, Light form Light, True God from TRue God, ' taking flesh adn living among us, so much so that St. John could say, 'what our eyes have seen and our hands have touched, the Word of life.' So MAximos says, 'incomprehensible' to signify that every created intrellect or intellection cannot encompass what is above it, but only from afar contemplate the reality that has been revelaed in jesus Christ 'as in a darkly mirror.'

IP CRL

What is it in Mary, the Mother of God, that has allowed men and women to place their trust in her throughout the centuries. Can we ask this question differently? What in Mary, Mother of God, captivates the hearts of all mankind? What is the sense of triumph over sinful mankind that all of us find in Mary? What is it about Mary, that has kept all mankind, who have faith, contemplating her presence for centuries? In asking the question about Mary, seeking its fulfillment how? What can we gain by asking the proper question about Mary? Yes, she was a woman! Yes, she was Immaculately Conceived without sin! Yes, to a thousand other good things about her! Still, why has every Christian been captivated by her fidelity and compassion? I think if we put it in a few words we could say, 'Jesus, could call her Mother!' God could call one of his creatures Mother! She brought him forth as her Son, she cared for him with the tenderness of a child; she became his source of coming into the world for all mankind thru her Immaculate Conception. She was a creature in His Divine Mind, but He took on flesh within her womb! She lived in this world without calling attention to herself, at least very little. She suffered like Jesus in everything, but without sin! She was like us in everything, but full of grace. No woman has ever had the title of 'God-bearer' as Mary.

IP CRL