The Incarnation - Cardinal Bacci

The Incarnation

1. By means of the Incarnation God comes to man so that man may return to God. God created man by an act of love to display and to diffuse His infinite goodness. But this relationship of love was disrupted by sin. Love became fear on the part of man, and it became justice on the part of God.

The love of God is infinite, however, and cannot decrease. No sooner had man fallen than God promised our first parents that He Himself would come to save them. As soon as man had lost the white robe of grace, the Lord mercifully promised that He would come to restore it. But how? He could have sent an angel to lead erring man back to the fold and to teach him the way of virtue which leads to Heaven. That would have been a great act of love and mercy. But an angel is a finite being, whereas the love of God has no limit. For this reason He was not satisfied to send an angel.

We can see, furthermore, another explanation of the great mystery of the Incarnation. God infinitely loved man, who was the work of His omnipotence. Precisely because He loved him, He wished to be loved by him in return. But because the spirit of Man is united to matter he does not see God except through the works of His creation. He sees Him, as it were, “through a mirror in an obscure manner,” (1 Cor. 13:12) and not face to face. He does not love God, therefore, as he would if he could see Him in all His beauty. He would need to see Him and to know Him better before he could love Him more. So God made Himself small by becoming man. “Human wisdom often asks,” writes Bossuet, “why God came on earth.” To this I reply: “He came to be loved by men.” “God was great,” writes St. Bernard, “so great as to demand to be adored. Now He has become small so that He may be better loved.” God became, like us, a child. “The goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared,” (Titus 3:4) says St. Paul. But Jesus was not satisfied merely to become like us, to enlighten us with His doctrine, and to enrich us with the abundance of His graces and gifts. He also gave Himself completely to us by dying on the Cross and remaining with us in the Blessed Sacrament. How could we fail to return such love?

2. The Incarnation, which is the coming of God among men that He might be loved more, requires that man in return love God and be obedient to His commandments.

Since the infinite God could do no more for us than give us His entire self, it is only right that we should be prepared to make any sacrifice in order to prove our love for Him. The mystery of the Incarnation not only demands our love; it also requires that this love should induce us to lead better lives. Jesus, God made man, should be the model which will encourage us to obey His laws and to follow His example.

3. We conclude with this lovely prayer of St. Alphonsus de’ Ligouri:
“All-powerful Son of God, You became man that You might be loved by men. Dear Jesus, for whom do you search upon this earth? You have come to search for me, poor lost sheep, that I may not stray far from You and that I may love You. Jesus, my treasure, my love, my all, accept this gift which I make of myself. I wish only to love loving You, and to die in Your love. Amen.”