Fides et Ratio

A gift from our Father

The earth is the Lord’s, and he is its King. Way back in Genesis, he proved himself generous, creating a world full of infinite displays of beauty – not only to show his brilliance and creativity, but to bring us joy – so many there is no way to count them all. Psalm 16 says he is always carrying pleasures in his right hand, forever.

He created man and woman to live in this place, he created so full of wonders and to receive his love. But they brought sin into it. God does not cohabitate with sin, so the result was separation from him, a separation that we inherit.

Mankind has continued the pattern Israel set through centuries: We reject the eternal, invisible, immortal, only wise King and desire to rule ourselves. But he loves us, despite all this. And he knows our needs better than we do.

And, so, the world was (and we are) in need of redemption, a redemption God knew about before the world began. It’s hard to imagine, but awe-inspiring to think that he chose us to be in Christ, reconciled to himself, before the tragic events in the garden ever took place (Ephesians 1:3-8).

He thought of us before time, and the solution he thought of was a gift, something that would cost the most precious thing he had, but without which we would be separated from him forever.

Let it sink in. God knew who we would be and wanted us. And though the creation was full of thousands of versions of flowers and plants and trees and animals and waters and stars and stones, he chose the only thing he had only one of. He chose to send us his Son.[2]

Unfathomable love, eternity to meditate on it, no plumbing of its depths

VII. How to choose a gift?

But we are conscious that our gifts remind us of the greatest gift of all time. God has given his own Son to us as our savior and redeemer. We give to each other humble gifts of love to celebrate God’s greatest gift of love – Jesus Christ.[3] Our gift giving should have some resemblance to the Father’s gift of His Son.

Resemblance to the Son, lost the measure of the gift

[1] https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/augustine/  accessed October 28, 2024

[2] https://www.ncfgiving.com/stories/the-gift-of-our-generous-god-and-king/  accessed October 28, 2024

[3] https://catholicreview.org/greatest-gift-of-love/  accessed October 28, 2024

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VIII. Thesis Statement

Prophets reminds us there is no deliverance without discipline for sinners.

Prophets reminds us constantly God’s disciplines are purposed for that deliverance. Never mere punishment. As long as there is breath even after in purgatory, God means for us to purified, God means for us to become fully and completely saints. God’s discipline that He sends are meant for that purpose.

Wills of God

1 Active

2 Permissive

1 Cor 11 invites us by penance by rebuking ourselves in confession to anticipate that discipline of God

Paul says of the Eucharist

1 Cor 11:  28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

31 But if we judged[i]ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined[j] so that we may not be condemned (at the end) along with the world.

Self-discipline, invited to take upon ourselves but not because we are spiritual masochists. Not to hurt or be mean to ourselves. Honest before the Lord.

Purpose lay before God our weakness and sins so that God can heal it

Always repent in hope. Never in despair.

God is thrice holy (Temple vision Isaiah 6:1-13 ESV)

Isaiah 5:1-7

God the good and purposeful vinedresser 5:1 and following

“Bloodshed” and “outcry” (5:7)

God will remove Judah’s/ Israel’s protections

This is in accord with God’s promises at Sinai and aimed at their good

Exile will purge them for renewal (4:2-6)

God did everything He could for His vineyard to bear good fruit: protections around it, tower, national image creeping into the garden image, tower look out to protect from threats, trench, wall, rain, everything it needs to bear fruit.

God saying I have done everything for My people. Bear fruit in holiness and righteousness. So they will be My people, because I am their God.

While I have been God to them, they have not been My people. They have acted like some other people of false gods. Run after things that give no benefit.

God says I will remove those protections, foreign armies will come in, take away the rain from it, so the people will know and see how far they have fallen as they are hitting rock bottom.

I looked for justice but behold bloodshed, for righteousness behold an outcry. Hebrew play on words. Prophets being poetry. Poetic in their own language, does not come through in some translations.

Hebrew Looked for mishpat (justice) but behold mispat (blood shed)

I looked for righteousness (tsadaq, tsidqah) behold heard an outcry (zeaqah)

Greed, “Joining house to house” (5:8)

8 Woe to those who join house to house,

Getting their neighbors property, enlarging their own property, leaving their neighbors out to dry, that God apportioned to each family and tribe land to sustain themselves.

They want more stuff until they are alone. No God, no neighbors to love, in the midst of these giant houses.

Greed makes us lonely, removes us from people we could do good works to love and serve.

They are rebuked for oppressive royal policies and corrupt priests. They have broken the Sinai covenant. It is a covenant intended to raise Israel up to be a blessing to the other nations. The Ten Commandments & the Book of the Covenant Exodus 21-23, are a practical list aimed at governing the people of Israel.

A covenant is more than a promise. It is a means of establishing familial bonds, often involving a covenant ceremony meal. Both blessings (fulfilled) and curses (failed) are listed. Invoking of God to insure justice towards observance.[1]

Because of these things, God will remove His protection. Remove the hedge around this vineyard. Let the foreign armies come though

Their discipline will be purgative, their exile will not be the end of them, some will die. That is how national warfare works, but the people will be purged of its guilt, through exile and on the other side of it, they have paid that penalty God will restore them.

Applicable to our times. Sanctity of covenant. Missing idea God values treasurers pure covenant and familial bonds. To quick to dismiss without understanding salvation history background.

Episode 6

[1]  Tim Gray & Jeff Cavins, Walking  With God: A Journey Through the Bible (Ascension Press: West Chester, PA 2010) 78

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Ex/ Some people say, in alcoholic anonymous, had to hit rock bottom. People would tell them stop what you are doing, but addicted and hooked, were not able to come out of it until what they call rock bottom.

This is the same of the people of Israel. Message Isaiah has will harden people until they hit rock bottom and so then repent.

Painful process. Grace is not cheap.

End goal of all of this, even though at the beginning it will be hard and harsh for the people.

In fact they (people of Israel) will go through the same thing Isaiah had to go through when He encountered the Lord.

Isaiah was penitent and had a soft heart, when he came into the presence of the Lord in his vision. Woe is me I am a man of unclean lips. What happened to Isaiah with the burning coal is what will happen to the rest of the people.

Salvation will come through judgement. Deliverance through discipline. Isaiah’s lips burned and thereby he was healed. That is the goal of the disciplines God will send on his people.

>> Goal of bringing them to hit rock bottom. Until cities lie waste. Until exile has come.

 Punishment that God foretold when He agreed to the Sinai covenant, and He made with His people. God will be faithful to His covenant, to discipline them greatly for their sins but the goal of that as He says also in the Sinai covenant Lev 26:40 and following

Goal of the punishment when they are finally kicked out and realize how far they have fallen they will turn and repent, and be faithful to God, and God will bring them back.

>> That is the goal here but come first with hard words, end even now with the growth of stump of tree that has been cut down, once again grow into a great tree.

God says the holy seed is its stump. The tree will be cut down, the stump will be left, the holy seed, the family prophesied to Abraham when God His covenant with Abraham.

The seed through which the world will be blessed, God’s people have a home

Hopeless fall into quickly, redemption and hope prevail. Consolation to our own lives.

Suffering

1 Poor Choices

2 Nature of humanity

He will walk us through it, quickly forget. Suffering often our choices, He is right there.

Seed when get down to it, is JESUS. He brings us to our heavenly home and brings through baptism into the covenant people of God.

When Isaiah begins to preach, he gives this parable of a vineyard in Chapter 5 to describe what has happened and what is going to happen to the people in God’s discipline. JC does the same thing.

Isaiah 1-39 Isaiah Talking to the people of his day some things that will come, sometimes about Babylon, destruction of the Northern Kingdom, God’s discipline and God sending a Savior.

Isa 40 Suddenly telescoped in

Doesn’t seem like Isaiah is talking to the people around him

Isaiah talking right to the people who have been exiled after Babylon has come

Isaiah talking to the people in the 500’s BC and really talking about things that will happen but speaking to the people, to them, God speaking through the prophetic voice of Isaiah at that time

Division in the Book of Isaiah universal agreement

1-39

40-66 Starts something new, Isaiah speaking ahead of time to address specifically the people who have been exiled by Babylon, about God’s restoration of them now that they have undergone this discipline

Restoration is there

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Gift- something bestowed voluntarily and without compensation[1]

Antonyms

Miserliness, stinginess, parsimony

Bribe, excess, kickback, inducement

III. Is it possible for a created person (angels & men) to give a gift?

Scrupulosity or hypocrisy

Strictly speaking, I do not think creatures can completely give without strings attached. The only Person who is complete within themselves is God. So only He can freely give without any need or want.

Good begets good. Intentions matter.

However, because we are made in His image and likeness, we are givers by nature even if we get some type of reward. It is the disposition of the heart, the Father vs Judas in the passion. The Father loves, Judas betrays, fear, greed.

Person in state of grace, living fully, perfect self-abnegation, giving selflessly. Intent not to receive the good. Can’t prevent the fruit blooming in the right ground. Comes with the pckage of creation.

[1] The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition   accessed October 28, 2024

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VIII. Isaiah’s Call

Isaiah’s Call

Isaiah 6:1-13ESV CE

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train[a] of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Isaiah has a vision of the heavenly throne room, Isaiah sees God’s throne, train of His robe that fills the Temple, does not see God or God’s face.

He sees seraphim, a type of angel, means burning ones, NOT cute little chunky baby angels

Seraphim burning angel and when Isaiah sees them and in the presence of God, first thing he says is “woe to me” DOES NOT SAY wow or cool

Isaiah says I am unclean, my lips are unclean, and I dwell among people of unclean lips. Woe is me. Because I am unclean and have seen the Lord almighty.

Isaiah knows he needs purification, forgiveness and atonement, for his own sin. Otherwise, he will not be able to stand in the presence of God. When he does so, one of the angels come to him with a burning coal from the altar that is there in the heavenly vision of the Temple.  He touches the coal to Isaiah’s lips.

Sounds painful, probably was, what it does it the pain of it has a cauterizing effect. A purifying effect before the Lord, the angel says your sins are atoned for by this action. You have received this atoning, cauterizing pain on your lips and your lips are now clean.

Also see in Isaiah’s heavenly vision The Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts heaven and earth are full of His glory

Isaiah’s vision here is the beginning of his prophetic call. God speaks out. Who will we send? Who will go for us?

Isaiah a moment before cowering in fear, now that he has been forgiven of his sins, atoned for by the burning coal, Isaiah says here I am, send me. I will be your servant Lord.  And God tells him this message v9

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

“‘Keep on hearing,[c] but do not understand;

God tells Isaiah hard words, words hard to ear and words that actually harden the heart

Does God not want them to repent? Know from other passages, God wants them to repent.

Find this regularly throughout SS, seen in your own life, pure and unadulterated truth when it encounters a hardened heart, often times causes it to become more and more stubborn, and unyielding to correction.

A heart that is struggling but docile is ready to hear. A heart that is ready to listen to God, hears the truth, and is more open.

Heart already hardened, will harden itself all the more against hearing the truth that is spoke to it.

Wilderness experience, some softened their hearts but others didn’t. Siege warfare results are horrific.

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Gift quote Jesus is the greatest gift there is. Not as a means to an end, but as the end itself, the source of all joy, the ultimate demonstration of God’s goodness and generosity.[2]

 Paul’s rhetorical question in Romans 8:32— “He who did not spare his own Son . . . how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”—is that Jesus himself, rather than anything else in creation, is the most costly and bountiful gift God could give. If we have been given Jesus, we will be given “all things” on his coattails.[3]

CCC #614 This sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices.1 First, it is a giftfrom God the Father himself, for the Father handed his Son over to sinners in order to reconcile us with himself. At the same time it is the offering of the Son of God made man, who in freedom and love offered his life to his Father through the Holy Spirit in reparation for our disobedience.2  [1 Cf. Heb 10:10. 2 Cf. Jn 10:17-18; 15:13; Heb 9:14; 1 Jn 4:10.]

Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit, the Pope writes, is a new way of God’s “being with” the world that goes beyond God’s self-gift in creation. This is self-giving for the world’s redemption, which is carried out in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Meditating on Christ’s saying that the Holy Spirit will “convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (Jn 16:8), the Pope proposes that the Holy Spirit comes into the world because the world has forgotten its story. The world does not know where it came from, what sustains it, or where its destiny lies, although it assumes it knows all these things. The sending of the Holy Spirit reveals to the world the truth about itself and its history.[4]

Biblical exegesis very different from other myths of creation, Gilgamesh. Man created from teeth of dragons. God has to come to reveal man to himself. Man sees his dull reflection of sin. Man reveals ourselves a sinners.

Luther dunghills covered by snow, God created man good. God has to enter into time, man is not primordially bad, fallen.

God created us good, saw us good, more bounteous goodness as gift to remind us of our goodness that can be restored by grace.

Plenary indulgence. Church presumes we are in a state of grace, Dan Burke?, should be standard.

Christ restore. Paltry view snow covered dung heaps. God omnipotent can restore things back to former pristineness.

Ex/ elements we can purify gold to original nobility. Man can restore something in nature, surely God can do that with his own creation.

[1] https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_04031979_redemptor-hominis.html  #10 accessed October 28, 2024

[2] https://www.christianitytoday.com/2016/08/why-jesus-not-salvation-is-gods-greatest-gift-to-us/  accessed October 28, 2024

[3] https://www.christianitytoday.com/2016/08/why-jesus-not-salvation-is-gods-greatest-gift-to-us/  accessed October 28, 2024

[4] George Weigel, Witness to Hope: The Biography of John Paul II (Harper Collins: NY 1999) 517

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VII. Biography of Isaiah

The Bible records that during his life he married a prophetess and had at least two sons (Isa. 7:3, 8:3). It was during his ministry, in 723 B.C., that the northern tribes of Israel were conquered and taken into captivity by the powerful Assyrian Empire.

Some sources suggest that not only did he write the book that bears his name, he also wrote 1 Samuel[1], 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and the first half of 2 Kings. He is mentioned, by name (the KJV Bible refers to him as “Esaias”), in six New Testament books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans).

The prophet’s writing is referenced more than 35 times in the New Testament, and he is the most quoted Old Testament writer in the Gospel accounts. He was also a contemporary of Micah, one of the Minor Prophets, who wrote from 740 to 711 B.C.[2]

His father, Amoz, is to be distinguished from the prophet Amos. The names are distinct also in the Heb. Isaiah was a highly educated man as shown by the breadth of his vocabulary and the quality of his lit. He was also a prophet of the greatest faith and power.

 Delitzsch calls him “the universal prophet of Israel.” Robinson calls his style “the climax of Hebrew literary art.” It is hard to overemphasize the influence of his book or the strength of attraction it has had over the centuries. Isaiah, Deuteronomy, and Psalms were the three most-used books in the Qumran community. The NT alludes to this book over 250 times and quotes it expressly at least 50 times.

Isaiah was a confidante of Hezekiah and moved easily in the royal circles of Jerusalem. Many of the religious reforms of Hezekiah can probably be traced to the influence of this godly court preacher. More uncertain is the question of his priestly office. His inaugural vision is set in the Temple of the Lord into which only priests could go. It was a vision, and the Temple that he saw could have been the heavenly prototype. Nowhere is Isaiah specifically called a priest.[3]

Reason for Isaiah to study- partially pastor in Australia encompasses all of the Bible, had not studied extensively, studying together greater insight. Curiosity and desire for deeper understanding.

Cursory exposure to Isaiah. Riverside Shakespeare.

[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/who-wrote-the-book-of-1-Samuel.html  accessed October 15, 2024

[2] https://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/the-major-prophets-isaiah.html   accessed August 15, 2024

[3] https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Isaiah  accessed August 15, 2024

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VII. Article to consider, with special focus on Thanksgiving

Acknowledgement of own poverty, enter into thanksgiving for everything

Spend all of heaven thanking others for my salvation.

that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder

What is the name of the gorgeous color in the sky, trees luminesce

Thank you, even if don’t believe in God, say thank you. Cows don’t say thankyou.

VII. Exhortation

Let us heed the advice of Ignatius, Evagrius, & Theresa of Avila- when the spirit of malaise afflicts us, let us run with confidence to the Father, fight back, and recall

Truly

Jn 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. NIV

[1] Fr. Jacques Philippe, The Eight Doors f the Kingdom: Mediations on the Beatitudes (Scepter: New York 2018) 10

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Evagrius of Pontus (Talk Back) 346-399 included acedia among the eight trains of thought that needed to be overcome by devout Christians. Among these, acedia was considered the most insidious. It attacked only after monks had conquered the sins of gluttony, fornication, avarice, sadness, anger, vainglory (vanity of one’s own performance a type of pride), and pride.[1]

Dan Burke highest form of love of God is the use of will to Trust in God. Gratitude is a part of this trust.

Dan Burke, classes Spiritual Discernment

apostoliviae.org

https://spiritualdirection.com/swadossession1

SS quotes

Graph for engineers do not let malaise or desolation fester

Recall from our show on Ignatian Spiritual Discernment, Fr. Timothy Gallagher

Ignatian

Dan Burke many years of serious reflection

[1] https://theconversation.com/acedia-the-lost-name-for-the-emotion-were-all-feeling-right-now-144058  accessed October 4, 2024

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Isaiah does not only speak into that situation. Isaiah speaks ahead of time into situation of Judah, when Judah has been defeated and exiled by the Kingdom of Babylon.

587 BC or 586 BC Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the Babylonian Kingdom, laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed it

Nebuchadnezzar had already taken many cities and a lot of land from the people before that

David is the first king over all 12 tribes, Saul kind of was but a lot of civil war. David unites all 12 tribes, monarch for them, God makes a promise He will always be with David and David’s line, David’s descendants on the throne, will be the seat of God’s kingdom on earth.

Solomon is incredibly unfaithful at the end of his life, worshipping many, many gods, for the sake of David I will not take the kingdom away from Solomon, but I will split it.

After Solomon dies the kingdom is split into the Northern Kingdom (called Israel 10 tribes) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah with 2 tribes)

Northern Kingdom are still God’s people, still expected to be faithful and be disciplined if they are unfaithful, blessed if they are faithful. God’s special promise always stays in Judah with the Davidic line of kings. Line of kings from which Jesus comes.

Isaiah, God will judge the nations for their iniquities as well. Assyria will come and defeat the northern kingdom, Isaiah lives through this

Jonah God great faithfulness, Assyria did not persist in following God will be defeated by Greece

[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Isaiah   accessed August 15, 2024 excellent link for more detail

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