Christian Heritage - June 28 - The Glory of God is the Human Person Fully Alive

"The Son is with the Father from the beginning. He was to reveal to the human race visions of prophecy, the diversity of spiritual gifts, his own ways of ministry, the glorification of the Father, all in due order and harmony, at the appointed time and for our instruction. Where there is order, there is also harmony; where there is harmony, there is also correct timing; where there is correct timing, there is also advantage.

"The Word became the steward of the Father's grace for the advantage of all, for whose benefit he made such wonderful arrangements. He revealed God to human beings and presented them to God. He safeguarded the invisibility of the Father to prevent people from treating God with contempt and to set before them a constant goal toward which to make progress. On the other hand, he revealed God to human beings and made them visible in many ways to prevent them from being totally separated from God and so cease to be. The glory of God is the human person fully alive; the life of human beings is the vision of God. If the revelation of God through creation gives life to all who live upon the earth, much more does the manifestation of the Father through the Word give life to those who see God."

Irenaeus of Lyons (AD 140-200), Adversus Haer. 4, 20, 5-7: SC 100, 640-642.644-648

Irenaeus was the bishop of Lyons and is best known for his monumental apologetic, Against the Heresies. At the center of his theology was a vision of the unity and recapitulation of all things in Christ.

Now, go, find life: seek God's face.