The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-20
POPULAR APoLoGETICS.
Adapted from the German of Rev.
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
James Watcher.
81. The Truth of Christs Testimony
Proved

Proved.
Objections: 1t is easy to claim some
thing; but the chief thing is to prove
this claim. Has Christ proved to be
the real and natural Son of God?
Answer: u Yes, indeed, and by
the clearest proofs: First by His
miracles (aS we shall see SOON, and
especially by His greatest miracle, His
resurrection. He appealed directly
to these miracles in proof of His doe
trine, for example at the raising of
Lazarus: And Jesus lifting up his
eyes said: Father, give thee thanks
that thou hast heard me. And | knew
that thou nearest me always, but be-
cause of the people who stand about
have l said it; that they may believe
that thou hast sent me. When He
had said these things, He cried with
loud voice: Lazarus, come forth
"(John 11:41-43; again, when He
promised them the sign of Jonas, the
prophet (His resurrection) CMatth.
12:38-4D. How we'll the Jews under
conduct at the death of Christ, when
they asked PLATE to guard the
sepulchre because Christ had promised
to rise again on the third day.
Christ appealed to His miracles in
proof for His doctrine: IF l do not
the works of my Father, believe me
not But if l do, though you will not
believe me, believe the works: that
you may know and believe that the
Father is in me, and in the Father
John 1927, 49, God cannot work
miracles in proof of a lie. Hence the
divinity of Christ is proved by His
miracles.
Whoever does not acknowledge this
seal of God, these evident miracles,
refuses God the necessary obedience
and faith and is a grievous offender
against the sovereignty of God.
p The proof of these miracles is
strengthened by the highness and
holiness of the miracle-worker. In
deed. if God wanted to appear as man,
He could not develop a greater high
ness, wisdom, and holiness than ap-
peared in Christ
az His wisdom. An old proverb
says: 1t is human to err; all men,
even the greatest thinkers, are sub
| ject to error in the one or other point;
even a st. Augustin and st. Thomas
Aquinas have erred Christ has never
erred, not even in the smallest matter,
| On the contrary, the more the learned
study His words, the more light shines
forth from them, for Christ is really
God and hence He could truly say:
Il am the way. the truth, and the
| life" John 1850.
| b. The character is the highest, the
| most universal and hottest in its high
est development.
b. Hettinger CISCO says in his
| Apology q. 2, Lect. 49, AS the
| wide vault of heaven is exalted and
! unmoved above all the changes and
complications of human life, so Jesus
| Christ goes through the world in heav-
| emily, exalted repose and undisturbed
| serenity. . . From all His words
shines this holy, wonderful peace and
| serenity, without passionate irritation
| or hastiness, without irresolution or
| wavering, clear, calm, the natural rev.
| citation of a mind which, being i'm
! mersed into the pure ether of the
| divine, knows nothing of all that
| which dims and confuses the human
| mind disturbs it with doubts and
| hesitation, which assault the heart and
| sway it unsteadily to and fro. AND
this exalted serenity accompanies
| Him through life, from His first en-
trance into the temple as a boy OF
twelve till His professional entrance
| into Jerusalem in the midst of His
own, where His mother preserved all
His words in the depths of her heart
or when surrounded by His enemies
at the triumphal procession through
the Holy City, or when abused by
rude servants in the excess of suffer
ings.
AS His words so were His deeds
The same serenity when He raises
the dead and commands the storm, as
when He cares for the corporal needs
of His disciples There is no effort
no hesitation; He approaches the
greatest as the most Insignificant
always with the same dignity. AS He
| expresses the deepest, the most touch
ing thoughts, the highest truths simply
and in a few words, so He performs
the highest and most powerful deeds
quietly and without effort Hence al
His words and deeds bear the STAMP
of the exalted Great men may a.
times, at certain moments, rise to the
| exalted-Christ is always exalted ir
word and deed, in acting and suffer
ing, in life and in death. Jesus Christ
Pascal (f1662) remarks (Pensees II.
art. 10), speaks of the greatest things
with such simplicity, as though He
had not reflected on the thing, and
still so definitely and clearly that
every one feels clearly how well He
knows it. This clearness and depth
united to simplicity is wonderful
His life was in God"
| Men, even the noblest, are some
what onesided, limited, children OF
their time, affected by national pecu
liarities, etc. Christ stands with His
l oh ahovo oil human