What the Father gives is the capacity to be a self, freedom, and thus autonomy, but an autonomy which can be understood only as a surrender of self to the other.
Hans Urs von Balthasar
The Church does not dispense the sacrament of baptism in order to acquire for herself an increase in membership but in order to consecrate a human being to God and to communicate to that person the divine gift of birth from God.
birth faith christianity catholicism theology god
It would be unjust toward children to introduce them to Christian teaching and existence only as little pagans and catechumens, in order to leave it up to them to choose the Faith on their own responsibility at a point in time difficult to determine.
faith christianity catholicism theology
To be a child means to owe one's existence to another, and even in our adult life we never quite reach the point where we no longer have to give thanks for being the person we are.
christianity christ catholicism theology god
christianity christ catholicism jesus-christ theology god
In Christ, for the first time, we see that in God himself there exists--within his inseparable unity--the distinction between the Father who gives and the Gift which is given (the Son), but only in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
christianity christ holy-spirit catholicism jesus-christ theology god
It is to the Cross that the Christian is challenged to follow his Master: no path of redemption can make a detour around it.
christianity christ suffering jesus cross redemption catholicism jesus-christ crucifixion the-cross theology
Only the Christian religion, which in its essence is communicated by the eternal child of God, keeps alive in its believers the lifelong awareness of their being children, and therefore of having to ask and give thanks for things.
christianity christ catholicism theology
You must log in to post a comment.
There are no comments yet.