THE DOCTRINE OF THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD IS, IN NO SENSE,
INCREDIBLE, UNSEEMLY, OR UNREASONABLE.
The Christian religion maintains inviolably that God is Man; that His
Person subsists in two natures, _viz._, the Divine Nature and the Human;
and that the union between these natures is so perfect that the Person
who is God is likewise Man. No parallel to this union can be found in
nature, for the simple reason, that no perfect created substance can be
united to another substance in such a manner as to become one with it.
Even the union between soul and body cannot be compared to the union
between the Word and the human nature. The soul is the form of the
body; but form is imperfect; and as God is Perfection, the Word cannot
be the form of the human nature. Moreover, the Divine Nature and the
human are in Christ two perfect substances; and therefore the union
between them surpasses understanding. We must not, however, say that this
union is impossible. God can do many things beyond the capacity of our
intelligence. Then, in the union between the Divine and Human nature, His
Divine Majesty suffers no change; but human nature is, by His infinite
power, raised to wondrous union with His Person.
Neither can we call this union unseemly or unreasonable. For, from it
countless blessings have come to the world, benefits so numerous indeed
that we could not attempt to name them all, but must content ourselves
with recounting some of them.
First. The Incarnation has been a most powerful means, whereby man may
attain happiness. The true beatitude of man consists, as we know, in the
vision of the Divine Essence. But, considering the limitations of human
intelligence, and the sublimity of the Divine Nature, we might justly
have despaired of gaining this supreme happiness. Therefore, God, by
uniting in His own Person the Divine with the Human Nature, (a union far
surpassing the union between the Divine Essence and the understanding
of the blessed), has willed to hold forth to man hopes of attaining to
the glory for which he was created. And man, since the Incarnation, has
aspired to happiness, with greater ardour than he did before this mystery
was accomplished.
Again. The Incarnation, wherein God has united Himself (directly, without
intermediary), to man, has made clear to man that God is His sole End,
and has thus taught him to appreciate the excellence of his own nature.
It has so far enlightened the human race, that men, at the sight of this
wonderful union between God and man, have abandoned the worship of idols.
Then, in their quest of true religion and unalloyed happiness, they have
despised all earthly wealth and dignity and pleasure.
We must further remember that, as the happiness, whereunto we were
created, far exceeds the capacity of our understanding, it would have
been impossible for us to have had any sure knowledge or hope of it.
Even the investigations instituted by the most learned philosophers
would have been in vain. Befitting therefore was it, that God, in His
special Providence over man, should take flesh, in order to assure man
of his future blessedness and to confirm his hopes of it. Hence, by the
Incarnation, mankind has a far more complete and clear knowledge of
beatitude and of Divine things.
We know, likewise, that man, before the Incarnation, was entangled in
affection for many temporal things. By His Incarnation, God took the
surest means possible to raise him from earth to the love of eternal
things. For, who, seeing this great love of God towards man, will not be
moved to love Him in return? And, in fact, since God’s love for man has
been known upon earth, men have been so much inflamed with desire for
Divine things, that they have entered into friendship with God, and with
His saints; and they have despised all earthly ties.
Again. Certain means are necessary to enable man to gain happiness.
These means are virtue and spiritual perfection. These graces have, by
the Incarnation, been abundantly poured out upon mankind. The proof of
this lies in the fact that, since the coming of Christ, the world has
been so fertile in examples of virtue and perfection, that none, save
the blind, can doubt that the teaching of Christ is the one sure road to
blessedness. Thus, we see, that the Catholic faith teaches, in the dogma
of the Incarnation, nothing either incredible or unreasonable.