I AM A CATHOLIC by virtue of my believing in a God; and if I am asked why I believe in a God, I answer that it is because I believe in myself, for I feel it impossible to believe in my own existence (and of that fact I am quite sure) without believing also in the existence of him, who lives as a Personal, All-seeing, All-judging Being in my conscience ... A religious mind is ever marveling, and irreligious men laugh and scoff at it because it marvels. A religious mind is ever looking out of itself, is ever pondering God's words, is ever "looking into" them with the angels, is ever realizing to itself him on whom it depends, and who is the center of all truth and good. Carnal and proud minds are contented with self; they like to remain at home; when they hear of mysteries, they have no devout curiosity to go and see the great sight, though it be ever so little out of their way; and when it actually falls in their path, they stumble at it. As great then as is the difference between hanging upon the thought of God and resting in ourselves, lifting up the heart to God, and bringing all things in heaven and earth down to ourselves, exalting God and exalting reason, measuring things by God's power and measuring them by our own ignorance, so great is the difference between him who believes in the Christian mysteries and him who does not. And were there no other reason for the revelation of them but this gracious one, of raising us, refining us, making us reverent, making us expectant and devout, surely this would be more than a sufficient one.
- John Henry Cardinal Newman (+1890)
2 comments:
Great quote!
I continue to hear so many people - Christians - unable to take in wonder or make critical decisions because they are in want of finding themselves. Even many spiritual directors get hung up and stuck in such inner work of knowing their 'self' as if they are separate from God and others.
This kind of inner work only leads to carnal and proud minds content with self like Newman addresses in this quote.
I marvel at such thoughts that Newman expresses here and feel that he points to an ever important Catholic understanding of our need for prayer, discernment and choosing a vocation - all of this in gaining insight into what it means to be a human being, made in the image and likeness of God.
I can't put people down who haven't yet experienced having to walk down the valley of the shadow of death, but I marvel at the comfort and hope it brings to trust that the One Who gave me being, shares it with me, will take it back one day into himself, this "Personal, All-seeing, All-judging Being" of which Newman speaks so eloquently.
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