Today's Wisdom

Those who do not pass from the experience of the cross to the truth of the resurrection condemn themselves to despair! For we cannot encounter God without first crucifying our narrow notions of a god who reflects only our own understanding of omnipotence and power
Pope Francis

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Catholicism Again by Henri de Lubac, S.J.

I went again to Henri de Lubac's book titled "Catholicism, A Study of Dogma in Relation to the Corporate Destiny of Mankind" which he wrote and was already in fourth edition by 1947. It was translated to English by Langelot G. Sheppard and published by William Glowes and Sons Limited in 1950 in Britain. The book has an imprimatur attached to it and authorizing its publication as found not contrary to the doctrine of the Catholic Church as was the norm for writings by Catholic priest and theologians prior to Vatican II.
The great Jesuit theologian is immensely knowledgeable of the Patristic Fathers and Medieval Scholastic theologians. He writes with an open mind well before Blessed Pope John XXIII asked him to participate in the works of the Second Vatican Council. He was made a cardinal by Blessed John Paul II on account for his immeasurable contribution to the reforms of Vatican II while being always cognizant of the great tradition of the Church since early times.
In the book, Henri de Lubac, S.J. provides extracts from the Fathers,  Doctors and other scholars of the Church such as Gregory of Nyssa, St. Augustine, Origen, St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Leo the Great, St. Hilary, and astonishingly, Severus of Antioch of the Jacobites. Some of these writers were excommunicated by Ecumenical Councils, yet Henri de Lubac finds it necessary to retrieve their wisdom which remains part of the Church's tradition. Henri de Lubac continues with other more recent writers and mystics not the least St. Bernard, Nicholas of Cusa, Julian of Norwich, Paul Claudel, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and John Henry Newman (declared Blessed in 2010).
Henri de Lubac's point is that the Catholic Church is indeed larger than the official Catholic Church, because to her are linked all the people of good will who died in the grace of God. Many of them were not baptized and did not even hear about Christ, yet by searching to live the truth following their conscience and according to the means they had available in their time and culture, they cooperated with the saving gift of God. They lived the love of God and knew Christ by their implicit desire for the truth.
How do we Christians fare today in this scale? Do we live the Gospel of Christ according to his will? Do we help the dying, the needy and poor as Pope Francis is inviting the whole Church to get out and reach out to all as Christ did? Hard questions...

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Will Computers Determine the Future of Humanity?

As fascinating as they seem, computer machines are increasingly taking over our lives. From web-based social networks to GPS systems and search engines, it is clear that we as humans are dependent on computers. For example, Google has now developed a driver-less car  
- See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J17Qgc4a8xY

   
And we continue to play games on the web and buy software that we think will help us in our day-to-day spending. Yet the big computer firms are competing to bring forward and sell the new artificial intelligence and big data analytics to other big firms. Of course, the benefits of new technology will go to the big guys who by the same technology can enslave the rest of the world. Furthermore, if and when machines take over work, the value of humans will drop...See too the latest in MIT's Andrew McAfee research on unemployment caused by technology:

Today's Quote

"Behold I make all things new." (Revelation 21:5)







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