Blessed James Alberione

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DAY IV
THE HOLY BIBLEAND DOGMATIC THEOLOGY

JEREMIAH

Jeremiah, the son of Hillkiah, lived in the second half of the VII1 century before Christ. He was called to the prophetic ministry during the reign of King Josiah. At that time, perhaps, he was not yet thirty years old.
Those times were very sad ones. Manasseh, guilty of idolatry into which the people had fallen, although he repented towards the end of his life, had left the kingdom to his son Amon. Under him, the moral and religious conditions of the people only became worse. Finally, King Josiah started the first reform of worship. It was then that Jeremiah began his mission as prophet and did not cease to preach until the holy city was taken. We do not know what his role was in Josiah's reform, but it is certain that he collaborated in it.
Eventually, he influenced the court of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and especially during the reign of Zedekiah, who often consulted the prophet. But the nobles' hatred against him sent him to prison.
With the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, the prophet, freed from prison, retreated to Mizpah under governor Gedaliah; but only for a short time because the latter became the victim of a conspiracy and Jeremiah had to flee to Egypt where he continued to prophesy against the idolatrous Jews who, it seems, stoned him for his endless reproaches.
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THE III AND THE IV BOOK OF KINGS2

The third and the fourth books of Kings make up as well another work, an independent work which, tying itself up, with the death of David, to the preceding book, narrates the events of Solomon's reign, the schism, the separate history of the two kingdoms of Judah and of Israel until the destruction of the latter, and the story of the kingdom of Judah until the exile in Babylon.
The author shows that God is true to his word in punishing Solomon, the kings of Judah and of Israel, and finally accomplishes his threats in the exile of all the chosen people.

REFLECTION IV

The Holy Bible and Dogmatic Theology3


Your justice is forever right,
your teaching forever true.
(Ps 118/119:142)


Today we shall see how the Church draws from Sacred Scripture the truths contained in Dogmatic Theology and those of the Catechism included under the title of Faith.

* * *

What Dogmatic Theology is.
Dogmatic theology is the science of the dogmas, of the truths that Mother Church proposes to us
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for belief. Contained in it are all the truths concerning God, the Creator, as the beginning and end of all things. Those concerning the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity: Jesus Christ. It speaks about the Redeemer, his death and resurrection, his redemptive work, and then of his mystical body, the Church; of the Papacy, of Christ's last coming into the world, that is, the last judgment.
Furthermore, Theology teaches us all the truths concerning the Holy Spirit: it tells us of His work of sanctification and how He applies to souls the fruits of Redemption. Furthermore, it explains to us all the doctrine concerning the Sacraments, Sacramentals, Liturgy, etc.
The sources from where the Church draws all these truths are the Bible and Tradition.
All the theologians, as proof of their dogmatic theses, as principal proof after the doctrine of the Church, present the texts of Holy Scripture.
It is prescribed that in the middle of the hall where Bishops are gathered in Council to define some truth, the Sacred Scripture be placed.4* And this to point out that the Bible is the first and principal source of truth. Furthermore, by such an act, the Church wants to tell us that if the defined truth is contained in it, nothing is left to us other than to bow our heads and to believe with all our strength.
Oh, how grateful we ought to be to the Lord, who was not satisfied with merely raising up men like Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc., and even his only-begotten Son to speak to us in His name, but still decreed
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with infinite love, that the principal and indispensable truths for our salvation be fixed and written in a book: the Bible, which is the principal, as well as the clearest and most precise, source of Dogmatic Theology and catechism.
From this follows that in the study of Sacred Theology, the greatest importance5 must be given to biblical proofs. The other proofs of congruence or of reason have, of course, their importance, but they must be on the second line.

* * *

Three consequences:
1st. In the study and explanation of Theology and the Catechism, the first proofs with the first examples should be taken from the Sacred Scriptures.
How beautiful and effective, for example, are those of Jesus child, adolescent, adult: marvelous mirror of all the virtues! Those also of Abraham, Judith, Ruth, Noemi, Tobit, Job, etc., etc. How do they edify and comfort! They are very effective in illustrating and inculcating the theological, cardinal, and moral virtues.
2nd. Let the sayings6 be also taken from the Bible because, as we know, the words of the scriptures have a special power of their own, a sweet anointment that no author can have. In fact, they came out of the mouth itself of God.
Regarding this, the Apostle says: For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. (Rom 15:4)
The sayings of the Saints and great men are also worthwhile, but let us remember always that the first author is always God. A model in this is Fr.
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Segneri,7 who, we can say, in his sermons and writings cites nothing but the Sacred Scriptures.
See, for example: Manna dell'anima [Manna for the soul].8
3rd. The Teacher of Theology, or the Catechist, ought also to take from the Bible the paragons. For example, do we want to explain how one falls into sin? Very well, the example of Eve who put herself in the occasion of sin and imprudently conversed with the cursed serpent offers itself. In the Bible we find suitable examples to explain all the virtues, and all of them are of great efficacy.
What are the conclusions of all of these? Here they are: most praiseworthy is the habit of those who, in their study of Theology and the Catechism, take note, in the margins, of sayings, scriptural phrases, citations of examples that concern the truth contained in those pages of their text; their study and their explanation shall acquire a special aspect, and will have a divine efficacy, as to know, at the end of their study, how to explain all the principal dogmatic truths in this very simple way: reading the Bible and adding few things.
So that the reading of the Bible may be effective and useful for our soul, it is not necessary that there be long critical and historical notes. Few words that serve to connect the scriptural text with that given truth of Sacred Theology or the Catechism would be enough.
Let us pray so that the Lord may soon stir up someone to make such a commentary that would have a very great effect on souls.

EXAMPLE. - The angelic Thomas Aquinas. - He is, in the Catholic Church, a luminary of surpassing greatness,
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one of the greatest Doctors. He was called, for his blamelessness of life, the Angelic Doctor and Pius XI proclaimed him as the Guide of studies, the Angel of the schools.
As a child, he was educated in Monte Cassino, where he learned from the Benedictine Fathers, together with the letters, the practice of Christian virtues and love for Holy Scripture that later will become the object of his studies and teaching in the professorship at the famous University of Paris.
Sent to Naples to finish there his studies, he came to know the Dominican Fathers, and the desire to join their Order was born in him. He triumphally overcame the opposition of his family and not long after he was in Paris hearing the lectures of St. Albert the Great.
Becoming professor of Theology, he attracted crowds of students who admired the learned talks of the new Master, his method, and the clarity of his exposition.
But what extraordinary thing did St. Thomas do then? Let us read his biography: Discussions were but a small part of his works at this time; the foundation of his theological teaching was Holy Scripture; he explained alternately the Old and the New Testament.
The books commented by him during the first three years of his teaching were: the prophecy of Isaiah and the Gospel of St. Matthew.
It is said that one day, finding difficulty in explaining a passage in the Holy Bible, he went with great confidence and simplicity to bow before the holy Tabernacle to get Jesus' explanation.
Among his many works, of which the two Summae would be enough for him to earn the title of Doctor, a noteworthy place occupy his works on Sacred Scripture; in fact, aside from the aforementioned books on Isaiah and St. Matthew, he commented on the Canticle of Canticles, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, the Book of Job, the Psalms, St. John, and the Epistles of St. Paul.
He knew very well the Old and New Testament so much that for each of the theological truths that he had to prove, he had a suitable text ready to serve as proof.
If the excelling Angelic Doctor was able to reach the
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highest peaks of theological science, it is due in good part to his attachment to and profound knowledge of the Holy Bible.

LITTLE SACRIFICE. - Today I shall talk to someone about the beauty of the Bible, and I shall try to make him want to read it.

CANTICLE OF THE THREE YOUNG MEN [#]

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you waters above the heavens,
bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
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Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
For he has delivered us from the nether world,
and saved us from the power of death;
He has freed us from the raging flame
and delivered us from the fire.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Bless the God of gods, all you who fear the Lord;
praise him and give him thanks,
because his mercy endures forever.

(Dn 3:57-90)


READING

The benefits of wisdom

For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy, and those learned in them will have ready a response. Desire therefore my words; long for them and you shall be instructed. Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men's desire; he who watches for her at
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dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate. For taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and he who for her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care; Because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways, and meets them with all solicitude.
For the first step toward discipline is a very earnest desire for her; then, care for discipline is love of her; love means the keeping of her laws; To observe her laws is the basis for incorruptibility; and incorruptibility makes one close to God; thus the desire for Wisdom leads up to a kingdom.
If, then, you find pleasure in throne and scepter, you princes of the peoples, honor Wisdom, that you may reign as kings forever.
Now what wisdom is, and how she came to be I shall relate; and I shall hide no secrets from you, But from the very beginning I shall search out and bring to light knowledge of her, nor shall I diverge from the truth. Neither shall I admit consuming jealousy to my company, because that can have no fellowship with Wisdom. A great number of wise men is the safety of the world, and a prudent king, the stability of his people; so take instruction from my words, to your profit.

(Wis 6:10-25)


JEREMIAH'S PRAYER

Remember me, LORD, visit me, and avenge me on my persecutors. Because of your long-suffering banish me not; know that for you I have borne insult. When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart, Because I bore your name, O LORD, God of hosts. I did not sit celebrating in the circle of merrymakers; Under the weight of your hand I sat alone because you filled me with indignation. Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook, whose waters do not abide!

(Jer 15:15-18)


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1 In LS it is written “secolo XII” (“XII century”). Obviously, it is a misprint.

2 III/IV Kgs: 1/2 Kgs.

3 One can find an update of what is proposed here in The interpretation of the Bible in the Church: “The Sacred Scripture... is the privileged base of theological studies. In order to interpret the Scriptures with scientific exactness and precision, theologians need the work of exegetes. On their part, exegetes ought to direct their studies so that “the study of the sacred Scripture” can effectively be “like the soul of sacred theology” (DV 24)... Exegetes can help dogmatic theologians avoid two extremes: on one hand, dualism, which completely separates a doctrinal truth from its linguistic expression, considered devoid of importance; on the other, fundamentalism, which, confusing the human with the divine, considers as revealed truth even the contingent aspects of human expressions. To avoid these two extremes, it is necessary to distinguish without separating, and hence to accept a persistent tension. Thought and words are of God and man at the same time, so that everything in the Bible comes at the same time from God and from the inspired author.” (n. 38)

4* “In medio consessus poni solitum erat in sancto throno venerandum Evangelium, in quod omnium vultus conversi errant” (Conc. Calcedonense).

5 “The interpretation of the Sacred Scripture is of primary importance for the Christian faith and for the life of the Church... The manner of interpreting the biblical texts for the men and women of today has some direct consequences on their personal and communitarian rapport with God, and it also is closely bound to the mission of the Church” (John Paul II, introducing the document The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church, 1993).

6 In LS the “sayings” of the Proverbs are recorded (p. 105) and in general the “holy sayings” that inflame the reader of the Bible (p. 107), but above all those biblical passages printed and exposed everywhere in the Small House of Turin through the order of Cottolengo (p. 204). It is a part of our spiritual work to avoid the dangerous sayings of the world, substituting them with those of the Gospel (p. 237). The studies, too, aimed at that: “This must be life's exercise: to remove one by one the worldly sayings and then to place, write, engrave verse by verse in our brain the Sacred Scriptures... Let us try in every [Eucharistic] visit to take away from our head a worldly saying and put in its place the opposing saying of the Gospel... Factus est Deus homo ut homo fieret Deus; let us then become gods in our mind” (RM 1934, 71-72). “The sayings of the 'beatitudes' do not occupy more than half a page in the Gospel of St. Matthew, but the entire Bible can be said to be a commentary, a continuous recommendation of the beatitudes” (UCAS 1933, SPa 1962, p. 281). “Saint Paul was converted in his mind: he completely changed his ideas. We, too, to convert ourselves in our mind must change our ideas. We must embrace the sayings of the Gospel of today” (La conversione di San Paolo, to the Daughters of St. Paul, USA, Jan. 1946: EMC 1952, p. 75).

7 Paolo Segneri, Jesuit (Nettuno 1624 - Roma 1694) owes his renown to the Quaresimale, Florence 1679. For this work, Segneri was compared to Bernardine of Siena, a well-known missionary of the people.

8 Famous collection of prayers and reflections drawn from the life of the Saints for every day of the year. This book was published for the first time in Milan in 1683. The complete title was: La manna dell'anima, ovvero esercizio facile e fruttuoso per chi desidera di attendere all'orazione [Manna for the soul, or an easy and fruitful exercise for one who wants to attend to prayer] . In the edition of Todero (Venice 1766-1768) the Il Divoto di Maria Vergine [The Virgin Mary's devotee] by the same author follows.