The Creation - Cardinal Bacci

The Creation

1. God is infinitely perfect in Himself and has therefore no need of creatures for His eternal happiness. He knows Himself fully; and this act of knowing is not transient, but substantial and eternal. It is the perfect image of His own Essence, the Word which expresses His Divine Infinity.

Knowing Himself in the infinite depths of His truth, beauty, and goodness, God naturally loves Himself. This love, also substantial and eternal, is the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds not only from the Father, but also from the Word, since God loves Himself because He knows Himself perfectly. The happiness of God, as St. Gregory Nazianzen writes, is not a solitary state of beatitude. He has within Himself the Word, His consubstantial Son, in Whom is reflected the perfection of His nature, and to Whom He repeats from eternity: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you.” (Ps. 2:7) Moreover, in an act equally substantial and infinite, He pours forth His love, the Holy Spirit. Because He is infinitely happy and perfect in Himself, God wished to manifest His perfection and to communicate His happiness to others. According to St. Thomas, the only reason why God has created is to manifest His glory and to share His happiness. Creation is, therefore, an act of love. “I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee.” (Jer. 31:3) “God,” says St. Irenaeus, “did not create man because He had need of him, but because He wished to have creatures on whom He could shower His gifts.” That is why Sacred Scripture tells us that “the Lord has made everything for His own ends.” (Prov. 16:4)

Turning over these reflections in our minds, we should make an act of profound humility before God and acknowledge that we are nothing without Him. We should express our deep gratitude to God for our very existence and for all the other gifts which He has enriched us.

Finally, we should pay Him the tribute of our love, which should be expressed in a practical manner, as well as verbally, by complete and constant fidelity to His commandments.

2. Dante describes the Creation beautifully as “Eternal Love expanded into new loves.” Heaven and earth, angels and men, and all created beings are nothing more than an expansion of this Eternal Love into new loves. Love unites and fills everything. Everywhere in Heaven and on earth, there is love, there is need of love. But whom shall we love? The creatures who surround us? Yes. We may and should love them. They are rays of the light and beauty of God. We should love them because they reflect the power and glory of God. But we must not become attached to them. We must not try to find in them happiness and peace of mind. They cannot give us contentment because our hearts are made for something greater. God made creatures for Himself, as St. Augustine says, and therefore our hearts will not rest until they rest in Him.

3. Creatures should form a ladder by which we climb to God. God should be the first thought, aim, and love of our lives. If we were to substitute creatures for God, our journey to Heaven would be impeded. Worse still, they could drag us into sin and towards eternal damnation.