"This Son is the reflection of the Father's Glory, the exact representation of the Father's being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word."

The Majestic Work of God

"In times past, God spoke in fragmentary and varied ways to our fathers through the prophets; in this, the final age, he has spoken to us through his Son, whom he has made the heir of all things and through whom he first created the universe. This Son is the reflection of the Father's Glory, the exact representation of the Father's being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word." [Heb. 1:1-3 NAB]

What an awe inspiring statement! One that could be meditated upon everyday for Lent and would change our lives! St. Jerome has said that ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Jesus.

It is humbling to realize how ignorant I am. The chosen people were drawn by the heavenly Father, who gradually taught them His path of unconditional mercy and mature love. The Father drew them from the ways of the world which had formed most of their thinking to the ways of God. He prepared them, sensitized them to be able to receive the fullness of His revelation, Jesus. Jesus embodies unconditional mercy and mature love, for He is the perfect reflection of the Father. The Father's complete word was spoken in Jesus, His Son. St. Paul speaks of this revelation as a mystery hidden and then revealed at the appointed time through the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit reveals the mystery, drawing each in his/her heart, unfolding the meaning and realities as gradually as one is able to receive it and come to a fuller comprehension of Jesus. [Col. 1:26 and Eph. 3:4-5]

We live in a world of word-iness, with too much lack of thought behind those words. A world of distractions and reactions. The Word of God, however, is like no other word. It has power, the power to effect what it was sent out to do. [Is. 56:11] This word lasts forever. [Is. 40:8] For further reflection, Psalm 33, Psalm 147, and Psalm 119 have a lot to say about the Word of God. In 1 Pet. 1:23 [JB], we read: "Your new birth was not from any mortal seed but from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God." The delivery of this word was in human form, but the source and the inspiration was not from any human origin.

From the Patristic Era of Christianity [50 - 600 A.D.] we have been given what can be called the Four Fold Sense for approaching the study of Scripture. The thinking was that: (1) The Literal Sense of Scripture taught history. (2) The Allegorical Sense of Scripture refers to the belief or meaning of the passage. (3) The Moral Sense of Scripture shows how one takes the word and moves into action and how it changes the person. (4) All of this reveals an Anagogical or Escatoligical Sense of Scripture, that which points to eternity, the eternal City of God. The triumphant goal of interiorized dogma.

As we study the Word of God we are invited to look at:

The historical or literal aspects of what is being read.
The allegorical or belief which comes from the reading.
The morality, action, or inner growth the reading calls us to.
The anagogical or escatoligical sense of what we learn about our triumphant goal.

One sense actually begets the next as we study, pray, and reflect. [Lk. 2:19] Thereby, the mystery of Christ becomes alive in our own hearts, minds, and lives. There is no other way for this to happen. It must begin interiorly and then become manifested outwardly. Only true transformation is true Christianity. In this season of we are called to metanoia, to true conversion. Let us spend extra time in the study of God's Word so that He can transform us to the image of His Son, Jesus.

Printed in the March 1994 issue of the "Living Water." Published for the Charismatic Renewal in the Diocese of San Jose, California. Permission to copy is granted, as long as proper credit is given.

The Majestic Work of God

Patty Harrison, March 1994