Monday, September 6 : Saint Athanasius

That world is best which has been done and which we see taking place, since that is what he wills; and this one can hardly refuse to believe. For if the movement of creation were irrational, and the universe were borne along without plan, a man might fairly disbelieve what we say. But if it subsists in reason and wisdom and skill and is perfectly ordered throughout, it follows that He that is over it and has ordered it is none other than the Logos or Word of God. (…) Being the good Word of the Good Father He produced the order of all things, combining one thing with its contrary, and reducing them to one harmonious order. He, being “the Power of God and Wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24), causes the heaven to revolve and has suspended the earth, and made it fast, though resting upon nothing, by His own will (cf. Heb 1:3). Illumined by Him, the sun gives light to the world and the moon has her measured period of shining. By reason of Him the water is suspended in the clouds; the rains shower upon the earth, and the sea is kept within bounds, while the earth bears grasses and is clothed with all manner of plants (cf. Ps 103). (…) But the reason why the Word, the Word of God, has united himself with created things is truly wonderful. (…) For the nature of created things, inasmuch as they are brought into being out of nothing, is of a fleeting sort and weak and mortal, if composed of itself only. But the God of all is good and exceedingly noble by nature and therefore is kind. (…) Seeing, then, that all created nature, as far as its own laws are concerned, is fleeting and subject to dissolution, lest it should come to this and lest the Universe should be broken up again into nothingness (…) God gave substantive existence to creation (…) so that by the governance and providence and ordering action of the Word, Creation may have light and be enabled always to abide securely. (…) lest that should come to it which would have come but for the maintenance of it by the Word, namely dissolution. “For he is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, for through him and in him all things exist, things visible and things invisible, and he is the head of the Church” (Col 1:15-18).

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team