God Reveals Himself In History

One way God reveals himself is through his intervention in human history. We call these mighty acts of God “Salvation history”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that God reveals himself in stages, beginning with creation itself. Quoting the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism teaches us that “God, who creates and conserves all things by his Word, provides us with constant evidence of himself in created realities. Furthermore, wishing to open up the way to heavenly salvation, God manifested himself to our first parents from the very beginning.”

Even when our first parents sinned, the revelation was not terminated — as the Roman Missal teaches us in the Fourth Eucharistic Prayer. “Even when he disobeyed you and lost your friendship, you did not abandon him to the power of death… Again and again you offered a covenant to man.”

The Old Testament is the history of God speaking to us and offering over and over again a covenant with our ancestors in the faith. The patriarchs, whose stories are preserved in the Book of Genesis, received certain promises from God. We see the history of the nation of Israel as a fulfillment of these promises. Again, the exodus from Egypt was the mighty act by which God freed his people from slavery. It was a liberation and is seen as the fulfillment of God’s promises to his people.

~ The Catholic Way, Bishop Donald W. Wuerl

Topics: Faith, View All Post |

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