Lenten Reflections From a Young Adult, 2

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JimR-OCDS said:
Huh?

Please explain.

Jim
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I don’t know. I just suppose it was for people to mull over. I thought of the story of Adam and Eve, who desired knowledge apart from a fear of the Lord.

I think of my own life, always curious, always insatiable, but whenever I desire knowledge apart from fear of the Lord, this is the heart of Sin. It is Pride, Selfishness, Greed, Anger, Lust, Envy, Sloth.

I also think of rationalist Catholics who see their faith as a set of doctrines by which they are saved, instead of belief in Jesus Christ by whom we are saved. Knowledge, without a fear of God, without awe and wonder at his power, can be self-serving and diminishing instead of uplifting and beneficial.

These are just some of my reflections. Take them as you will. May they help you, God willing.
 
There are different forms of knowledge. There is knowledge of the intellect, and knowledge of the heart, which comes from God, given to us through grace.

Intellectual knowledge, where we learn about science, history or even religion, is wonderful and not to be scorned.

However, knowledge of God, and things of God, are given to us by God, and are transforming. It is this form of knowledge, that we come to know love and serve God, as He wills.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
There are different forms of knowledge. There is knowledge of the intellect, and knowledge of the heart, which comes from God, given to us through grace.

Intellectual knowledge, where we learn about science, history or even religion, is wonderful and not to be scorned.

However, knowledge of God, and things of God, are given to us by God, and are transforming. It is this form of knowledge, that we come to know love and serve God, as He wills.

Jim
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Right, I totally agree with that.

But, reading De Doctrina, by Saint Augustine, there is a sense in which fear must be caught up in everything we do. In the sciences, a Catholic scholar must always operate from the perspective that he is studying God’s creation, perhaps often taking time to reflect on the wonders of creation lest he become arrogant and doubt God’s power.

Even knowledge of the heart cannot be taken for granted.

If it isn’t clear, I certainly don’t mean “fear” in a negative sense at all. Reading De Doctrina, fear has a very positive element to it.
 
Zahmir
Even knowledge of the heart cannot be taken for granted.
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True. All such knowledge must be understood as coming from God, not from self. It is a gift that must be used to benefit others, and not to be used for worldly gain.

Jim
 
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