Divine Revelation

In the last post, we listed two ways we can come to know God; natural reason (via the world around us, and looking within ourselves), and Divine Revelation.   The things we discover about God via natural reason are things we can discover on our own, although we usually we still need God's help, even with this way of knowing.  The truths we discover about God via Divine Revelation, on the other hand, are impossible to discover without the grace of God, and in no way could we discover on our natural abilities alone.  In this post, we will speak about Divine Revelation in a bit more detail.

What are the critical elements of Divine Revelation?

1)  God reveals Himself as Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and wants us to share in that Divine Life of the Trinity.   His will was that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and thus become sharers in the divine nature." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, p.51)
2) God wants to not just share in His Divine Life, but do so as "family".   He wants to "adopt (us) as his sons in his only-begotten Son." (p.52)
3) God communicates Himself to us gradually.  He little by little reveals Himself and his plan for us.  He reveals first to our first parents, then Noah, then Abraham, then the chosen people Israel, then finally, fully in the person and mission of Jesus Christ.  
4) There will be no further Revelation.   God has spoken fully in Jesus Christ, so there will be no more Revelation.  Now, even though Divine Revelation is complete, it is not totally explicit yet, meaning we are still growing in our understanding of it.  However, the work of Revelation is done, complete, and over with.  But we can grow to know and love it more and more each day.
5) The completed Divine Revelation is transmitted via the apostolic tradition.  Christ commanded the apostles (apostle means one who is "sent forth") to preach Him and His mission (His death and resurrection) to the ends of the earth, so that all men may be saved, and come to enter into relationship with God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.   This transmission occurs both orally and in writing.
6) There are two distinct modes of transmission of Revelation; Sacred Scripture, and Sacred Tradition.  Sacred Scripture is "the speech of God as it is put down in writing and under the breath of the Holy Spirit." (p.81).  Sacred Tradition is the teaching of the apostles and their successors, the Bishops, inspired, just as Sacred Scripture is, by the Holy Spirit.
7) The Magisterium of the Church has the task of giving an authentic interpretation of this Revelation, in both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.  Magisterium comes from the word "magister" which referred in medieval times to a person entitled to teach.  Magisterium refers to the teaching office of the Church, which is the Bishops, in communion with the Pope.

These are the critical elements of Divine Revelation.  More detail can be said about the different elements of it, notably Scripture, Tradition, the Magisterium, and even each of the stages of the Revelation in history as outlined above.  We will probably get into more detail in future posts about some of them.

What a gift, though, Divine Revelation is!  The Catechism calls Revelation "his plan of loving goodness" (p.50).    It is wonderful enough to know be able to come to know God naturally; to see him in ourselves, in others, and in the wonder of nature.   But then you add this to that! Excuse the pun, but " oh my goodness..."   In moments like these, it is right that we should fall on our knees, and declare ourselves unworthy to receive such a gift.   Yet, when we do, in that moment, Our Blessed Lord will reach out His hand, with the mark of His glorious wounds still on there from the Crucifixion, and beckon us to rise, and journey to the Father with Him.  Let us grasp onto Our Lord, and let Him take us places we could never dream of going!

Joseph was there just as the fullness of Divine Revelation was beginning to be revealed.   He was there at the "beginning of the end" so to speak.  In that baby he held in his arms, there was God.  There was still some more Revelation to come with Jesus'  death, resurrection, and ascension .  However, what Joseph held often during the infancy of Our Lord was still a more fuller Revelation than had come at any point before.   The Revelation was nearly complete, but he still had to grow in his understanding of it.   May we, like Joseph, grow to understand and love more each day the gift and mystery that is Divine Revelation.   May we also like him be one day be able to experience with full knowledge, understanding, and love the mystery revealed, God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Joseph, Foster Father of the Son of God, and Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.