Vivat Agnus Dei

Read Readings Do you ever notice the feeling of anticipation that accompanies Advent? To me, Advent is a season symbolic of the journey of this life: we wait in eager hope for the life to come—the fullness of health, happiness, and holiness in Christ—and we conform ourselves so as to receive that fullness with eagerness and readiness, that is, to long in the proper way. In this sense, it is a livelier Lent, because it holds the anticipation of Christ in one hand and the strong conviction that all promises are about to be fulfilled in the other. As I read—and even before I read—I could not help but feel overcome by the sense that the biggest thing is about to happen: the one thing God has been laboring toward with us, namely the fulfillment of every covenant, God among us; what was destroyed in our sins and the sins of others beginning to be undone; people who once sneered now rejoicing in communion. It is much like last Sunday’s reading from Isaiah 11, which highlights how those natura...

Continued from  Carruthers, Carter. "Confession: The Call to Forgiveness Pt. 1" Vivat Agnus Dei, March 9, 2025. https://vivatagnusdei.blogspot.com/2025/03/confession-call-to-forgiveness-pt-1.html. Third, what does God's forgiveness consist of? This is a much tougher question because, for humans, forgiveness only means appealing the case to God ( Psalm 103:10-12 ). God is the just judge; He is not swayed by favoritism toward sin ( Deuteronomy 10:17, Acts 10:34-35 ). He comes to His judgment seat loving both parties ( Wisdom 11:24-26, Romans 5:8 ). Perhaps, then, the question is not "What will God do?" but "What is God's ultimate design?" ( Ephesians 1:9-10 ). In our pain, we can only see juridical contrariety, but God is not interested in punishment—He is interested in salvation from sin, its reality, and its effects ( Ezekiel 33:11, John 3:17 ). His hopes are not suffering, but healing, love, and communion ( Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Timothy 2:4 ). If, by ...

Apologies that this will be a long post, but it is a big topic. I have heard this question twice from people in my life, and I have also found myself on the other side of it. So, to paraphrase in a more pointed way:  "How, in God's good justice, can He forgive you for hurting me—especially when I do my best to abide by His rules and love Him—while, when something befalls me, I am told to forgive and surrender it, yet He just forgives?"  A loaded question, no doubt! In fact, it echoes the Epicurean philosophy of the day—one that everyone condemns when it is used against them, yet many justify when they themselves seek to be forgiven. So, let’s answer it. However, I must say there are misconceptions embedded in this question, which means we will need to consider multiple aspects. This requires nuance—something often undesirable when suffering is already present. Let’s break this down and examine it properly by separating the question into broader inquiries: What is the real...

Parable of the hidden treasure by Rembrandt In a world where human effort often leads to success, it may be tempting to believe that eternal life can be achieved through our own endeavors. Just as we might work diligently to lift ourselves out of poverty, one might assume that eternal salvation can be earned through human effort alone. However, the teachings of the Church, the writings of saints, and Holy Scripture reveal a profound truth: eternal life is a divine gift that cannot be merited by human effort alone. Just as we cannot cure ourselves of disease without the guidance of a physician (Sirach 38:1-15), we cannot attain eternal life without cooperating with God's grace. This essay explores the nature of grace and its essential role in meriting eternal life, affirming that it is only through God’s grace that we can hope to achieve salvation. First, the necessity of grace is deeply rooted in the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, who asserted that “the free gift of God is eternal li...

"Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one ...