Mercy in Cosmic Camouflage: Providence At Work
I once saw a fascinating copy of the United States Constitution engraved on a copper plate. Close-up, the letters of each word seemed uniform in size and depth. In reality, they were subtly shaded so that if the entire text were held at arm’s length, it displayed a strikingly vivid picture of George Washington.
Like this engraved image of Washington, Jesus’ presence in Scripture can go unrecognized to those who lack a deep, loving, and real relationship with Christ – even if they have a reverence for God’s holy Word. But Jesus is truly present in Scripture, as Vatican II affirmed: “He is present in his word…it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read.”
Our awareness of Christ’s vibrant presence in Scripture is enormously heightened by the Holy Spirit through the gift of understanding (see Isaiah 11:2). Though this is not a specifically charismatic gift in itself, understanding is usually more operative in those who have been baptized in the Spirit and have come to know the reality of Jesus as Lord of their lives in a dramatically existential way. This is the Pentecostal experience that Jesus promised: “When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth…He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (Jn 16:13-14).
This excerpt is from the book The Art of Loving God by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications, 1995. This and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.