Tag Archives: kindness of God

The Humanity of God

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You can’t say it more beautifully than St. Bernard does in this sermon.

“The kindness and love of God our savior have appeared.  Thanks be to God, we receive such abundant kindness in this pilgrimage, this exile, this distress through him.

” Before his humanity appeared, God’s kindness lay concealed. Yes, it was already there, because the mercy of the Lord is eternal, but how could we know it was so great? It was promised but not yet experienced, and so many did not believe in it.  At various times and in various different ways, God spoke through the prophets, saying I know the plans I have in mind for you: plans for peace, not disaster.

“Now at last let us believe our own eyes, because all God’s promises are to be trusted. So  even our troubled eyes can see, He has set up his tabernacle in the sun. Peace is no longer promised, but given; no longer delayed, but present; no longer predicted, but here.

“Behold, God has sent down to earth a message of mercy, at his passion our ransom was poured out on us. A small child was given to us, but all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him.

“After the fulness of time had come, there came too the fulness of the Godhead. He came in the flesh to reveal himself to our earthly minds; his kindness would be known when his humanity appeared. Where the humanity of God appears, his kindness can no longer be hidden. Could he better reveal his kindness than by assuming my flesh? My flesh, that is, not Adam’s, as it was before the fall.

“What greater proof could God give of his mercy than by taking upon himself that very thing which needed mercy? Could there be a better loving-kindness than for our sake the Word of God became perishable like the grass? Lord, what is man, that you make much of him or pay him any heed?

“Let us know  how much God cares for us from this. Let us know from this what God thinks of us, what he feels about us. Do not ask about your own sufferings; but about what God suffered. Learn from what he became for you what he wishes you to become. Know his kindness from his humanity.

“The more he humbled himself in his humanity, the greater has he shown his kindness. The more he humbles himself on my account, the more I love him. The kindness and humanity of God our Saviour appeared says St Paul. The humanity of God shows the greatness of his kindness.

The One who added humanity to the name of God gave proof of God’s kindness.”

His Kindness Has Appeared

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These are days to reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation. A decisive revelation of God, the Letter to the Hebrews says:

“At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is.(Hebrews 1, 1-2)”

What does Jesus Christ reveal about God? He is the Word of God who reveals God to us, St. Bernard says, and in him “the kindness and love of God has been revealed and  we receive abundant consolation in this pilgrimage, this exile, this distress.”

Before he appeared as human, God’s kindness lay concealed, Bernard says. “Of course it was already in existence, because the mercy of the Lord is from eternity, but how could we know it was so great? It was promised but not yet experienced: hence many did not believe in it. At various times and in various different ways, God spoke through the prophets, saying I know the plans I have in mind for you: plans for peace, not disaster…”

“What greater proof could he have given of his mercy than by taking upon himself what needed mercy most? Where is there such perfect loving-kindness as in the fact that for our sake the Word of God became perishable like the grass? Lord, what is man, that you make much of him or pay him any heed?”

“See how much God cares for us. See what God thinks of us, what he feels about us. Don’t look at your own sufferings; look at God’s sufferings. Learn from what he was made for you, how much he makes of you; let his kindness be seen in his humanity.”

“ The lesser he has made himself in his humanity, the greater has he shown himself in kindness. The more he humbles himself on my account, the more powerfully he engages my love. The kindness and humanity of God our Saviour appeared says St Paul. The humanity of God shows the greatness of his kindness, and he who added humanity to the name of God gave great proof of this kindness.”