Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. It is fitting for a divine Person to assume humannature. In this there is no addition to the infinite God. Theassumed human nature is perfected, not God who is infinitely andeternally all-perfect. Hence, in assuming human nature, a divinePerson exercises a loving and merciful act, and is in no wisedebased or dishonored. Hence, it is fitting for a divine Person toassume human nature.
2. Nor is there anything derogatory or unfitting to thedivine Nature in the fact that a divine Person assumes humannature. For what is becoming to a divine Person is necessarilybecoming to the undivided nature of God in that Person.
3. Even if we mentally focus on the divine Nature, leavingthe Persons out of account, we can say that the divine Nature canfittingly assume another nature. There is no conflict orcontradiction in the thought of such an assuming, and God isalmighty in his divine Nature.
4. Since all the works of God's power are from theTrinity itself, the act of assuming human nature is common to theThree Persons. But the union resulting from this act is in only onedivine Person, that is, the Person of the Divine Son.
5. Had it been the will of God (the undivided will of Godin Trinity), the Father or the Holy Ghost might have becomeincarnate.
6. Indeed, the three Persons of the Trinity, whosubsist in one divine Nature, could also subsist with one humannature, so that then the human nature would be assumed by the ThreeDivine Persons.
7. And there is no conflict or contradiction in thethought that one Person should assume a human nature distinct fromthe human nature assumed by the Son. Nor, indeed, is therecontradiction in thethought that the Son should assumeanother human nature distinct from the one he did assume.
8. It is most fitting, however, that the Divine Son became manto redeem us, rather than the Father or the Holy Ghost. For the Sonis the Word in whom is the exemplar of every creature. Now, as acraftsman restores his broken handiwork according to the originalmodel or exemplar, so it is suitable that the restoration ofGod's broken human handiwork should be accomplished through andby the Son. Again, to make men the adoptive sons of God, it wassuitable that God should "send his Son into the world."And, finally, since it was man's inordinate desire forknowledge that brought ruin on himself, it is fitting that the Wordof True Knowledge should come to redeem him.
"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"He who wishes to be perfectly obeyed, should give but few orders."
St Philip Neri
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