Friday, May 24, 2013

A Voice from the Past - Anselm

Hence, if it has seen light and truth, it has seen thee; if it has not seen thee, it has not seen light and truth. Or, is what it has seen both light and truth; and still it has not yet seen thee, because it has seen thee only in part, but has not seen thee as thou art? Lord my God, my creator and renewer, speak to the desire of my soul, what thou art other than it hath seen, that it may clearly see what it desires. It strains to see thee more; and sees nothing beyond this which it hath seen, except darkness. Nay, it does not see darkness, of which - there is none in thee; but it sees that it cannot see farther, because of its own darkness.

Anselm, 1033-1109, Proslogium Chapter XIV (Proslogium; Monologium; An Appendix in Behalf of the Fool by Gaunilion; and Cur Deus Homo, translated by Sidney Norton Deane, The Open Court Publishing Company, 1926, p.30)

How can we come to truly see God as He is? What can help us with this?

5 comments:

  1. To see Jesus in the Gospel accounts is to see God. We really do not need to look any further.

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    1. I agree that is the obvious place to start. But I still think there is considerable mystery involved.

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    2. Jesus is the start and the finish - the alpha and omega.

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  2. I agree, but who can claim to know all about Him. Even the idea of being the God-Man boggles the mind. We are given enough to know Him and to know we know Him, but there is always more to learn.

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    1. So true Mike. Mostly, my challenges involve following what I already know about Jesus.

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