Divinity of Christ: An Ignored Heresy I

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I In March there are Major Feast Days the Church asks the Faithful to consider
St Patrick March 17
St. Joseph March 19
The Annunciation March 25

II What ties these special days together? The Resurrection. No more, no less.

III When a firm grasp of Christ’s Divinity is understood within the soul, Confidence in following Him is evidenced as is modeled by Patrick, Joseph and Our Lady

IV. I state my presuppositions which I think most Catholics & or people in general hold, then I shall see how the belief on the Resurrection fares

V I think ignorance and outright rejection of this central tenant of the Faith is widespread both within the Church and in Society at large
A Poor Mass attendance, even before Covid
B Dismissal preaching of authentic Church teachings. [I have heard homilies from the National Basilica on Easter Sunday questioning the reality of the resurrection].
C. People & pastors voting for proabortion is one glaring example.
D Failure to avail oneself of Confession or Sacramental Marriage
E Invite Jesus as another voice to consider, one of many.

His voice intentionally redirected to own will. Given less voice, His opinion agree with mine because He is nonjudgmental.

VI. Catholics do have a religious sense of God
“Most people today still admit in some form or other that there is probably such a thing as a ‘supreme being.’” Cardinal Ratzinger’s quote shows that the notion of a divine being is a universal experience.

VII. Catholics also acknowledge the paternity of God which is commensurate with most of humanity. Whether one looks to the ancient pagan philosophers of Greece or to the indigenous peoples of North America, both cultures acknowledged a being greater than themselves who guides earthly affairs. “Many religions invoke God as Father. The deity is often considered the father of gods and men.”

VIII. Most self-professed Christians do have a rudimentary understanding of God’s creation of man. A Judeo-Christian understanding of creation, is that God created man with free will so as to enter into relationship with Him. However, when man sinned in the Garden of Eden by freely contradicting the command of God, His relationship with the Divinity was severed. “The beginning of sin and man’s fall was due to a lie of the tempter who induced doubt of God’s word, kindness and faithfulness.” Not willing to leave man to the full measure of this choice, God became incarnated in the person of Christ.

Incarnation radically clear He wants a relationship with us.

VIII Here is the turn in a properly formed conscience, Catholics (both lay and ordained) do not consider the eternal consequences of sin and the necessity of a Savior. With a comfortable lifestyle and a high level of education, Catholics do not concern themselves with thinking about God in a more nuanced manner. If eternal consequences are ignored, so is the need and beauty of the Paschal Mystery.

Christ bore the price of man’s disobedience in a manner that would not only show forth his power as God but also His love as Savior. “St. Thomas can therefore state that the first reason indicating the appropriateness of human liberation through the passion and death of Christ is that ‘in this way man knows how much God loves him and man on his part is induced to love him in return, in this love consists the perfection of human salvation.’”

God has no need to do this. Fitting, appropriate, for God who loves us,. We can know authentically through our senses because of His profound love for us. Fitting for us as beings with bodies.