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Reading Thomas Merton Ascent of Mt Carmel p 92-93. Help me wrap my head around this.
"But there exists no word, no idea, that can contain the reality of God. We must never talk about the wisdom and justice and power and even the being of God as if these divine perfections could be fitted into the definitions of these things as they are known to us. [ok. I get that.]
Saint Thomas says, of every concept of the divine perfections, that “the reality [in these divine names] remains unbounded, exceeding the signification of the term.” All the perfections of God are unlimited and they are therefore all one identical reality. [ I am not sure about that "one identical reality".]
It is impossible for us to understand the notions of justice and mercy unless they are somehow divided from one another and opposed. In God, justice is mercy, mercy is justice, and both are wisdom and power and being, for all His attributes merge in one infinite Reality that elevates them beyond definition and comprehension. [Sound like we are just playing with words now.]
Nevertheless, although all the Divine Names are objectively one identical reality in Him, they are not to be understood as synonymous by us. Like white light, broken up into different colors by the spectrum, the one Reality of God can only be attained by us under many different aspects."
"But there exists no word, no idea, that can contain the reality of God. We must never talk about the wisdom and justice and power and even the being of God as if these divine perfections could be fitted into the definitions of these things as they are known to us. [ok. I get that.]
Saint Thomas says, of every concept of the divine perfections, that “the reality [in these divine names] remains unbounded, exceeding the signification of the term.” All the perfections of God are unlimited and they are therefore all one identical reality. [ I am not sure about that "one identical reality".]
It is impossible for us to understand the notions of justice and mercy unless they are somehow divided from one another and opposed. In God, justice is mercy, mercy is justice, and both are wisdom and power and being, for all His attributes merge in one infinite Reality that elevates them beyond definition and comprehension. [Sound like we are just playing with words now.]
Nevertheless, although all the Divine Names are objectively one identical reality in Him, they are not to be understood as synonymous by us. Like white light, broken up into different colors by the spectrum, the one Reality of God can only be attained by us under many different aspects."
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