A Treatise on the Ineffable Mystery of our Redemption

Extract

The remedy for this disease: Christ’s perfect satisfaction and redemption.

Man being in this miserable state, God, who could have left him in it, did not choose to do so, but the accustomed bounty and mercy which had led Him to create men moved Him to restore them by the most sublime means possible. But we must always pre-suppose that in this, as in all God’s other actions, He did not consider what He could do by His absolute power but what concorded best with the rectitude and laws of His wisdom, bounty and justice, in order that all His works should’ be as perfect as Himself. This applies specially to the work of our Redemption which excels the rest. This is the answer for ignorant men when they ask concerning this Mystery, “Could not God have found some other remedy without so much bloodshed and so dear a cost to Himself?” The answer is easy. “He could have done so, but He never looked at what He could do but at what best befitted His rectitude, wisdom, goodness and justice.”

To understand this we must take for granted that our Lord has n two-fold aim in all His actions; His own glory and man’s welfare. Hence whatever effects these best will be most fitting and worthy of Him. With His favour and help we shall explain how in the Redemption these have been most perfectly carried out. We shall speak first of the glory of God, which is the principal consideration and then of what concerns man’s welfare and shall strive so to treat the subject as to arouse our devotion and love for this most merciful Redeemer.