Today Lisa picked up and began to read 'a jewel of a book' entitled A Key to the Doctrine of the Eucharist by Abbot Vonier. On the very first page she encountered the, at first glance, startling idea that Christ died on the Cross not primarily for our sake but for God's sake. Here is what Vonier writes:Before it is at all possible to think of man's enrichment through the grace of Christ's redemption we have to assume that much greater result of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross which is aptly expressed in the term "Atonement," by which is meant, not directly the benefit of man, but the benefit of God: that full restoration of what had been taken from God through man's sin, His honor and glory. Christ's act on the Cross has given back to the Father all that was ever taken away from Him by man, and the divine rights have been fully restored (pp. 1-2).
When Lisa read this statement to me I was immediately reminded of something which I read in Joseph Ratzinger's newest book Jesus of Nazareth. He writes:
He [Jesus] is the peacemaker, he is the one who suffers for God's sake (p. 74).
Honestly, how often do we remember to consider that Christ offered Himself on the Cross primarily for God's sake and secondarily for ours? Think about it.
3 comments:
John-
This is pertinent because tonite I am tecahing RCIA on the atonement...but, how can it be said that Christ restores to God the glory and honor that He lost through man's sin? God objectively cannot lose glory or honor. If we say then that Christ gave God back glory and honor, then it must be from man's point of view; in which case man is still the refernce point for the Redmption. What do you make of this?
Thanks for the info on our Lady of Ransom....I know of a church by that name, but never knew to what it referred. The thoughts on the atonement are "chewy"...
Ich liebe sie (I think that is the correct pronoun for you-plural)
Bonifcace,
The question is a good one. And a difficult one. Think though of Old Testament references such as Psalm 78:9 "Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake."
Think of this, too: Surely God the Father wanted us to be reconciled to Him. By offering Himself on our behalf Christ accomplished that which the Father desired, i.e., He did it for His sake (and also for ours).
It is certainly true that God's honor is infinite and unassailable. But all creation owes God their worship. And He did not receive from us the honor that was due to Him.
What do you think?
Pax!
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