The Doctors Speak...Light, Life and Love (5)

J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R.*

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Those who admit the truth of what I have said know, I am sure, why we are bound to love God. But if unbelievers will not grant it, their ingratitude is at once confounded by His innumerable benefits, lavished on our race, and plainly discerned by the senses. Who is it that gives food to all flesh, light to every eye, air to all that breathe? It would be foolish to begin a catalogue, since I have just called them innumerable: but I name, as notable instances, food, sunlight and air; not because they are God's best gifts, but because they are essential to bodily life. Man must seek in his own higher nature for the highest gifts; and these are dignity, wisdom and virtue. By dignity I mean free-will, whereby he not only excels all other earthly creatures, but has dominion over them. Wisdom is the power whereby he recognizes this dignity, and perceives also that it is no accomplishment of his own. And virtue impels man to seek eagerly for Him who is man's Source, and to lay fast hold on Him when He has been found.

But we have digressed too far in the wish to prove that even those who know Christ are sufficiently admonished by the natural law, and by their own endowments of soul and body, to love God for God's own sake. To sum up: what infidel does not know that he has received light, air, food—all things necessary for his own body's life—from Him alone who giveth food to all flesh (Ps. 136:25), who maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt. 5:45).

And a quote mined from
a parish website
on the Internet:

http://www.stathanasiuswv.org/blog/Deacon-Blog/Transfiguration--Light-over-Darkness-

 

We can all think of areas of our lives where there has been darkness, confusion, and turmoil.  What can transform this state to a state of clarity and peace?  The Gospel gives us the answer: the light of Christ.  His transfiguration is a visible form of his perfect holiness, his pure love, and his humanity fully alive in, and united to, his divinity.

Sincerely yours in Jesus through Mary,

Mike Rizzio

Imitate Mary

Become like Jesus

Live for the Triune God

Seek the Light of Our Lord Jesus Christ

See you on the High Ground!

* - J.M.J. + O.B.T. + M.G.R. stands for:

Jesus, Mary and Joseph;

O Beata Trinitas;

St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael