Learn by Topic: mystery

Scientism, Selfishness and Death

Modern Man worships Scientism.  Scientism is an idolatrous belief that only that which can be scientifically measured can be trusted.  Scientism rejects the Divine and reduces Man to molecules.  Rejecting the Divine, Man becomes obsessively Selfish, pursuing rampant materialism and living to feed the passions.  Embracing selfishness, Man lives a walking Death, empty, with broken relationships, isolation, addiction, emotional turmoil, ill health and the loss of hope of Heaven.

Jesus Christ reveals the Mystery, Love and Life of the Trinity

In contrast to false knowledge of Scientism, Jesus reveals the Mystery of the Trinity. (more…)

A paradox is defined as “something that is contrary to expectations, incredible.”  During Christmastime, the amazing paradox of Jesus Christ fills us with awe when we consider the Incarnation.  That an all-powerful God might stoop to be born as a little child is almost beyond our comprehension.  But Jesus offers this paradox to us so that we might, like the shepherds, approach Almighty God and love Him like a little baby.

To grow in faith, Man must grow in awe of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Every thing that Jesus does is “awesome”; if we don’t realize the awesomeness of Jesus in some detail of the Incarnation, we are missing something.  Each event in Christ’s life can be meditated upon; and each yields great insight into the awesomeness of Jesus Christ.

For example, the Gospels give us details about the circumstances of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.  Why?  We find that details matter!

Did Jesus choose to be born in Bethlehem?  If so, why Bethlehem?

Father Ryan Erlenbush offers a compelling answer to these questions which point to the awesomeness of Jesus.  

A great blessing of the Catholic Church is our reverence for Mystery.  The word “mystery comes from the Latin word, mysterium meaning, “secret rite, secret worship; a secret thing,”  The Church teaches that Christ’s whole life is a mystery, while filled with many things that we can understand, there are many things that we can not understand fully.  We are called to ponder on these mysteries and to seek to grow in understanding, making Jesus Christ “our model” (see CCC 512-560).

At this beautiful time of year, it is good to reflect on the mysteries of Christmas:

(CCC 525) Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family. Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest.²⁰³ The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night: (437; 2443)

The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal

And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.

The angels and shepherds praise him

And the magi advance with the star,

For you are born for us,

Little Child, God eternal!

(CCC 526) To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom. For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become “children of God” we must be “born from above” or “born of God.”²⁰⁶ Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us. Christmas is the mystery of this “marvelous exchange”: (460)

O marvelous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity.