Abundance Key to Christianity

"Abundance is one of the key words of the New Testament."

(Benedict XVI at the Roman Seminary 12 February 2010)

In His creative, sustaining and saving action God's largess is boundless. And so, the reasonable response is a similar generosity. In our gratitude to God for all He has done for us and does for us through Jesus Christ we dedicate ourselves to Him with all our heart. Even more, we beg Him to give us His heart so that we might worthily love Him as He deserves.

In the same context the Holy Father quoted Saint Thomas Aquinas' words saying "The new law is the grace of the Holy Spirit." (Summa Theo. I-II, q. 106, a.1) It is not just a matter of following the rules, though we need to do that, but the new law is Emmanuel, "God is with us!" He makes everything possible in us.

I find it instructive that the first definition that Saint Thomas gives for "Eucharist" is "the gifts of grace." The Eucharist is primarily the divine gift of Self for our transformation into Him. That is the first meaning of the word Eucharist: grace: all is Gift. "What do you have which you have not received? says Saint Paul." The "Thanksgiving" is not the primary meaning but the response to the gift. But the "Thanksgiving" aspect goes well with this key of abundance. Our hearts overflow with His gifts, by His work in us, which we also welcome and corroborate in our little way, which in His mercy, is also significant and enlarging.