The Father’s Plan of Salvation: Fulfillment through Christ
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption in his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:3-10
Holy Bible
Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
“There is only one God, brethren, and we learn about him only from sacred Scripture.” + St. Hippolytus, priest (170-236 A.D.)
“The outcome or the fruit of reading holy Scripture is by no means negligible: it is the fullness of eternal happiness.” + St. Bonaventure, bishop (1221-1274 A.D.)
“The word of God is a tree of life that offers us blessed fruit from each of its branches.” + St. Ephrem, deacon (306-373 A.D.)
“Prepare the way of the Lord: the way is the preaching of the Gospel, the new message of consolation, ready to bring to all mankind the knowledge of God’s saving power.” + Eusebius of Caesarea, bishop (263-339 A.D.)
“My son, says the Lord, listen to my words, the most delightful of all words, surpassing all the knowledge of the philosophers and wise men of this world.” + Thomas A Kempis, religious (1380-1471 A.D.)
“The word of God enables man to know God and to love him.” + St. Lawrence of Brindisi, priest (1559-1619 A.D.)
“The word of God is powerful in what it accomplishes, powerful when preached. It does not come back empty; it bears fruit in all to whom it is sent.” + Baldwin of Canterbury, bishop (Unknown – 1190 A.D.)
“From the beginning the Son is the one who teaches us about the Father; he is with the Father from the beginning.” + St. Irenaeus, bishop (140-203 A.D.)
“I seek refuge in the person of Christ through the Gospels, and I appeal to the true ministry of the Church through the apostles.” + St. Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr (35-98 A.D.)
“We must meditate on the Gospel, and as we see in this mirror the example of zeal and loving kindness, we should become thoroughly schooled in these virtues.” + St. Asterius of Amasea, bishop (350-410 A.D.)
“The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do.” + St. Justin, martyr (103-165 A.D.)
“Whatever is proper to holy Scripture, whatever can be expressed in human language and understood by the human mind, is contained in the book of Isaiah.” + St. Jerome, priest (340-420 A.D.)
“All who read the Book of Psalms may find the cure for their own individual failings.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“The psalms have a wonderful power to awaken in our hearts the desire for every virtue.” + Pope Saint Pius X (1835-1914 A.D.)
“In the Book of Psalms there is profit for all, with healing power for our salvation.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“The almighty and most holy Word of the Father pervades the whole of reality, everywhere unfolding his power and shining on all things visible and invisible.” + St. Athanasius, bishop (296-373 A.D.)
“The way to know the Father is the Son.” + St. Irenaeus, bishop (140-203 A.D.)
“Here is man’s greatness, here is man’s glory and majesty: to know in truth what is great, to hold fast to it, and to seek glory from the Lord of glory.” + St. Basil the Great, bishop (329-379 A.D.)
“The commands of the Gospel are the rudder for keeping us on the right course, the protection that keeps our salvation secure.” + St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr (208-258 A.D.)
“Sound doctrine, the divine teachings are the grass and plants that feed God’s flock, the people whom he shepherds; the keeping of the commandments is the fruit borne by the trees.” + St. Gregory of Nyssa, bishop (335-394 A.D.)
“Sacred Scripture is God’s gift to us and it should be understood in the way that he intends: We should not do violence to it by interpreting it according to our own preconceived ideas.” + St. Hippolytus, priest (170-236 A.D.)
“The word of God is much more piercing than any two-edged sword, inasmuch as it is stronger than any courage or power, sharper than any shrewdness of human ingenuity, keener than all human wisdom, or the subtlety of learned argument.” + Baldwin of Canterbury, bishop (Unknown – 1190 A.D.)
“God’s word offers different facets according to the capacity of the listener, and the Lord has portrayed his message in many colors, so that whoever gazes upon it can see in it what suits him.” + St. Ephrem, deacon (306-373 A.D.)
“The whole earth is filled with the knowledge of God, since it is one and the same thing to know the Father through the Son, and to know the Son who comes from the Father.” + St. Athanasius, bishop (296-373 A.D.)
“Day begins to the music of a psalm. Day closes to the echo of a psalm.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“Who could fail to be moved by those many passages in the psalms which set forth so profoundly the infinite majesty of God, his omnipotence, his justice and goodness and clemency, too deep for words, and all of the other infinite qualities of his that deserve our praise?” + Pope Saint Pius X (1835-1914 A.D.)
“In a psalm instruction vies with beauty.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“What is a psalm but a musical instrument to give expression to all the virtues.” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“What is more pleasing than a psalm?” + St. Ambrose, bishop (340-397 A.D.)
“Out of the Word of God’s loving kindness for us he came to us, and we see this in the way he revealed himself openly to us.” + St. Athanasius, bishop (296-373 A.D.)
“The Word who became all things for us is close to us, our Lord Jesus Christ who promises to remain with us always.” + St. Athanasius, bishop (296-373 A.D.)
“By giving us, as he did, his Son, his only Word, God has in that one Word said everything. There is no need for any further revelation.” + St. John of the Cross, priest (1542-1591 A.D.)
“Whoever perverts the Lord’s words to suit his own desires and denies that there is a resurrection or a judgment is the firstborn of Satan.” + St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr (69-155 A.D.)
“The word of God is a light to the mind and a fire to the will.” + St. Lawrence of Brindisi, priest (1559-1619 A.D.)
“Lord, let me seek you by calling upon you, and let me call upon you believing in you, for you have been preached to us.” + St. Augustine, bishop (354-430 A.D.)
