|
The revelation of God's providential plan
36. "God who creates and
conserves all things by his Word, offers to men a constant evidence of himself
in created things".(72) Man, who by his nature and his vocation is
capable of knowing God, when he listens to this message of creation is able to
arrive at the certainty of the existence of God, as the cause and end of all
things and as the one who is able to reveal himself to man.
The Constitution Dei Verbum of the
Second Vatican Council describes Revelation as that act by which God manifests
himself personally to man. God truly reveals himself as one who desires to
communicate himself, making the human person a participant in his divine
nature.(73) In this way God accomplishes his plan of love.
"It pleased God, in his goodness and
wisdom, to reveal himself and to make known the mystery of his will [to
men]...in order to invite and receive them into communion with
himself".(74)
37. The "providential
plan" (75) of the Father, fully revealed in Jesus Christ, is
realized by the power of the Holy Spirit. This implies:
– the Revelation of God, of his
"innermost truth",(76) of his "secret",(77)
of the true vocation and dignity of the human person; (78)
– the offer of salvation to all men, as a
gift of God's grace and mercy,(79) which implies freedom from evil, sin
and death; (80)
– the definitive call to gather into the
family of God all of his scattered children, thus realizing a fraternal union
amongst men.(81)
|