Aquinas Gods Power and Knowledge Is Endless
INTRODUCTION
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An interesting article, "Where is God? Thinking in More Than Three Dimensions" in God for the 21st Century (Houghton 157–59), may characterize a principal feature of the God whom people in general nowadays are genuinely looking for. Accordingly, people in this postmodern age do not want to be "just imagining some remote being but experiencing him [God] for real." (Houghton 159)
In other words, countless people at the beginning of the third millennium today are hungry for a God who is not present in an abstract and transcendent way. Rather, Deity should be existing in a really concrete manner with whom they can interact everywhere in their daily lives. In the metaphysical language of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–74), one may say that the God whom countless people are thirsty for is no longer the abstract Ipsum Esse Subsistens (i.e., Subsisting Existence Itself). Rather, they are seeking for, heuristically speaking, Ipsa Essentia Subsistens (i.e., Subsisting Essence Itself), who is personally and substantially concrete everywhere according to His loving, self-giving essence or nature. As we know, Thomistically speaking, God's omnipresent Existence is exactly the same as His omnipresent Essence (Aquinas, "Summa contra Gentiles," XXII).
As it is, heuristics (from Greek heuriskein "find") is the study and use of certain trial-and-error technique(s), problem-solving method(s) or rule(s) loosely defined which enable a person to discover and learn something (Soanes and Stevenson 815). Bernard Lonergan (1904–84) states: "A heuristic notion, then, is the notion of an unknown content and it is determined by anticipating the type of act through which the unknown would become known" (Lonergan, Insight 392). In retrospect, St. Thomas did not use the term Ipsa Essentia Subsistens for God. He only implied it. It is the author's trial-and-error name for God to discover and learn something about Him anew. Awaiting proper verifications, this name represents an effort to bring the medieval idea of Ipsum Esse Subsistens up-to-date metaphysically and enculturally. Hopefully, such a divine name for God would become a great inspiration for the happiness- or self-fulfillment-seeking people today (Kluger, Aciman, and Steinmetz 68–82).
Hence, the present paper is another exploration of the author after the previous article entitled "Developing Aquinas' Missing Metaphysical Concept of Christ" (Cheng, "Developing") to advance a possible missing metaphysical concept of Aquinas. It is divided into four sections. The first part is the present brief introductory. Afterwards, it will delve into the two metaphysical concepts of God (i.e., Ipsum Esse Subsistens and Ipsa Essentia Subsistens) before exploring enculturally Ipsa Essentia Subsistens as Infinite Happiness Itself or Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself for today's happiness- or self-fulfillment-seeking generations of the youth, the adult, and the senior. It is critical to note that, to a significant extent, medieval scholasticism, which concerns "a logically and metaphysically satisfying reconciliation" (Longeran, Method in Theology 279) but without historicity, "has ended" (281). Since the Vatican II Council (1962–65), Catholic theology has been reconstructed in various fronts and aspects in terms of modern up-to-date elements. Thus, at the minimum degree, the present enculturation, on the one hand, is conducted in light of the immensely appealing symbol today (i.e., the smart mobile phone). On the other, it is guided by the ongoing cultural metaphysical paradigm shift turning from "being" to "energy-like being." Finally, the last part will be the concluding remarks, which includes some relevant Christian spiritual insights for the self-fulfillment-seeking people today.
GOD AS IPSUM ESSE SUBSISTENS AND GOD AS IPSA ESSENTIA SUBSISTENS
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What is the metaphysical difference between Ipsum Esse Subsistens (i.e., Subsisting Existence or Act of Existence Itself) and Ipsa Essentia Subsistens (i.e., Subsisting Essence Itself)? Notably, St. Thomas did not inscribe Ipsa Essentia Subsistens, but only insinuated such a concept of God as aforementioned. This is, thus, the first exploratory question of this paper. As one may notice more clearly later, Thomistically, these two metaphysical concepts resemble only two sides of the same coin, seeking to describe the same eternal reality of God.
THOMISTIC METAPHYSICS AS THE STUDY OF THE FIRST PHILOSOPHY
In general, metaphysics is the study of being as being, as well as its very principles and causes (Cheng, "Emerging" 314–15). However, as history informs us, each significant philosopher seems to have his/her own slightly nuanced definition. In any case, metaphysics and God are inseparable to the Angelic Doctor (McInerny 86–89). To count, there are at least three definitive meanings or approaches with which St. Thomas treats his theocentric metaphysics: (1) as the study of the first philosophy; (2) as the study of being (ens) as being (ens); and, (3) as the study of the natural principles of theology or divine science (Gardeil 2).
As the first philosophy, it is in contrast with other sciences that seek to explore exclusively the more immediate principles and causes of things (Gardeil 2). Instead, St. Thomas's God-centred metaphysics studies what is the first in the philosophical order of reality, i.e., existence (esse) and especially Ipsum Esse Subsistens (Lotz 248). As the First Cause or Principle of the totality of created reality, Subsisting Act of Existence is also expressed in terms of the Prime Mover, Uncaused Cause, Necessary Being, Perfect Being, and Ordering Mind (Kreeft 65).
St. Thomas' metaphysics is unlike the metaphysical search in both the Ancient Greek Period and the Modern-Postmodern Period. Aquinas' scholastic ontology or general metaphysics consists in nothing other than the unfolding of the Gottesproblem (i.e., the God question) (Heinrichs 245). It begins by delving into the mystery of the esse (existence) of created beings. Thereby, one would begin to understand better or deeper the mystery of Ipsum Esse Subsistens in the ultimate end. As Ipsum Esse Subsistens, God is Ipsum Esse (i.e., Existence or Act of Existence Itself, subsistent of Itself or subsisting by Itself) (Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q. 4, a. 2).
As such, Ipsum Esse Subsistens contains within Itself or Himself the whole perfection of esse. All other created beings not only derive their esse, but also find the ultimate reality and meaning (abbreviated as URAM) of their esse in the Esse (Existence) or Essentia (Essence) of Ipsum Esse Subsistens (Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q. 4, a. 2). Here, it is must be clearly stated that "Dei igitur essentia est suum esse" (Aquinas, "Summa contra Gentiles," XXII). In English, it simply means: "God's essence (capitalized as Essence in this essay), thus, is His act of existence (capitalized as Act of Existence in this essay)." Thus, Thomistically, it is pertinent to reiterate that God's Esse (Act of Existence) is equivalent to God's Essentia (Essence). This vital theme will be further explored.
THOMISTIC METAPHYSICS AS THE STUDY OF BEING (ENS) AS BEING (ENS)
In English, "being" as a noun is a very slippery word. There are at least three different meanings of "being" between its Latin and English connotations. Inter-translationally, "being" as a noun can mean (1) existence (i.e., esse [Latin]); (2) nature or essence (i.e., essentia [Latin]) of a person or thing; (3) a real or imaginary creature or entity (i.e., ens [Latin]) (Soanes and Stevenson 149). Further, when "being" as a noun is capitalized in English, "Being" philosophically can either mean "the Being or the existing realm" or "the Divine Being (i.e., God)." In any case, the topic of this section is on the Thomistic study of being (ens) as being (ens).
St. Thomas follows Aristotle's definition of metaphysics (Rowland 196–201). Consequently, he approaches metaphysics as the general study of being (ens) as being (ens), including the essential attributes of being (ens). Such a theocentric metaphysics leads analogically to the philosophical knowledge of God as Ens a se or Being by itself (i.e., Ipsum Esse Subsistens). This is the very brilliance of St. Thomas's metaphysics. The starting point may be being (ens) in the most universal and broadest sense. But the end is God (i.e., Subsisting Being Itself or Ens a se).
"The whole philosophy of being stems on the recognition that in God there is identity of essence and existence; whence it is that he is the fullness of being, fullness in which all other beings but participate" (Gardeil 232–33). Differently expressed, there may be countless finite beings, but there is only one Infinite Being in whose existence (esse) or essence (essentia) all finite beings partake. As we know, "every name is appointed to signify the nature or essence of a thing. Wherefore it follows that God's very existence itself is His essence or nature" (Gardeil 233). Hence, this Infinite Being can be called Ipsum Esse Subsistens or even Ipsa Essentia Subsistens as a name which is more than merely linguistic. This significant point is to be explained.
THOMISTIC METAPHYSICS AS THE STUDY OF SUPERNATURAL PRINCIPLES OF GOD
By all appearances, St. Thomas has transformed metaphysics substantially into the study of supernatural principles of God. It is a divine science that considers all existents under the aspect of universal existence and so it investigates the supernatural principles of God in terms of this study of existence (Lotz 247). In other words, based on his largely Aristotelian metaphysics, Aquinas can turn what he observes from the everyday world into theological principles about God. Hence, he is able to see the Uncreated God and His Uncreated divine essence, principles or attributes through the created beings and their created essence, principles or attributes. Thus, the natural essence, principles or attributes found in the created world can be used analogically to describe those of the supernatural God.
In brief, St. Thomas has transformed metaphysics into a kind of trans-physics. "Wherefore divine science is called 'metaphysics,' as though one were to say 'trans-physics,' because it arises by way of resolution after physics" (Anderson 111). Distinctively, what is physical in such a trans-physics is "the real, the actual, the effective in contrast to the merely imagined, the conceptual, the intentional, the abstract" (Brugger 309). In general, the natural principles include, for example, cause and effect, essence and existence, being (ens) and its essential attributes, form and matter, potency and act, the one and the many, necessity and contingency, the division of being (ens) into the finite and the infinite, etc.
THE FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENS, ESSE, AND ESSENCE
In a way, the fundamental relationship between ens, esse, and essence may sum up the whole Thomistic metaphysics of Ipsum Esse Subsistens or Ipsa Essentia Subsistens. Let us elaborate it in two steps. First, on the metaphysical-natural plane, St. Thomas's God-centred metaphysics is dominated by his notion of reality and being (ens) (Gilson 153). But above all, such a Thomistic metaphysics is a doctrine primarily of esse (171). In St. Thomas's ontology of esse, ens is defined in terms of esse in the sense that the esse of every ens necessarily participates in the Esse of Ens a se (i.e., Ipsa Essentia Subsistens) at least at an absolute minimum level. Otherwise, no such esse—and therefore no such ens also—is truly possible. Thus, esse is at the ultimate root or principle of the principles of all reality (194). Absolutely speaking, an ens is an ens only if it first possesses esse, the act of existing. In all created reality, ens is the existing thing which possesses both esse and essence separately. Every created ens is, therefore, complex or composite, in which esse and essence are distinct from each other (Aquinas, On Being and Essence 26).
Based on the above metaphysical-natural plane, St. Thomas then builds up his metaphysical-theological concept of God as a simple, non-composite Being (Ens), in whom God's Esse (Act of Existing) and Essence are indistinct from one another. On this ontological-theological plane, one may say that the whole Thomistic metaphysics is about (a) God as Pure Act (Actus Purus) in whom His Essence and Esse are one, and (b) God's self-communication or sharing of Himself with created beings (entia [i.e., plural of ens]). In fact, "act (perfection) and potency (possibility) are two basic modalities of being [ens], because all being [ens] undergoes change, passing from one state to another. Pure Act signifies absolute, eternal, unlimited perfection, thus excluding all potency" (Rahner and Vorgrimler 12). Apparently, due to the eternal reality in God that His Esse is the same as His Essentia, Aquinas saw no necessity to delve into God as Ipsa Essentia Subsistence in his theology focused on God's Esse, since such a divine name on God's Essentia is implied in Ipsum Esse Subsistance. Among others, the relationship between ens, esse, and essence may also lead one to appreciate the Thomistic metaphysical process of salvation history.
THOMISTIC METAPHYSICAL PROCESS OF SALVATION HISTORY
To St. Thomas, Ipsum Esse Subsistens or Ipsa Essentia Subsistens is the Absolute, Infinite Being (Ens) possessing and enjoying the infinite fullness of Esse and Essentia. This Deity has all the possible positive possibilities (potencies, potentials or potentialities) as regards His Essence infinitely realized, perfectly fulfilled or actuated. His Esse is necessarily one with His Essence, and vice versa. Thus, the whole history of creation, and later salvation, is simply the history of this God's self-communicating or sharing with created beings (entia) the infinite fullness of His Esse or Essence.
In other words, Ipsum Esse Subsistens or Ipsa Essentia Subsistens has been enjoying the infinite, perfect, highest possible level of existence and essence in all eternity. Subsequently, but not necessarily so, this God desires to share His very Esse or Essence with all created beings (entia [i.e., as a gift of participation in His divine perfections]) (Balás 142). Representing the mature thinking of St. Thomas, Summa contra Gentiles (written during 1259–64) and especially Summa Theologiae (1266–73) are largely two systematic elaborations of this Thomistic theology (Kreeft 14–15).
Indeed, one may depict the whole history of salvation in the following three major stages: (1) The eternal existence of the uncreated Ipsum Esse Subsistens or Ipsa Essentia Subsistens in whom there is no distinction between His Esse and Essentia; (2) the creation of created beings (entia), in particular human beings (entia) in whom there is distinction between esse and essentia as imperfect images of God; (3) the increasing partaking of created beings (entia) in the Esse or Essentia God until their eschatological created perfection in Heaven.
RETHINKING SALVATION HISTORY FURTHER IN TERMS OF IPSA ESSENTIA SUBSISTENS
Fundamentally, we are addressing two kinds of being (ens) here, the perfect and the imperfect. All imperfect beings merely participate in the perfect existence of Ipsum Esse Subsistens or Ipsa Essentia Subsistens. So infinitely perfect is the divine level of existence or essence that God may be called perfectly fulfilled Act of Existence or Essence Itself in person. Indeed, perfect existence (esse) or essence (essentia) is what this uncreated God is and what all creatures share in (Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, q. 45, a. 1). Accordingly, "[c]ausal participation is how Thomas understands the analogical relationship between divine existence and creaturely existence" (Caponi 377). Hence, in terms of Ipsa Essentia Subsistens, the whole salvation history of human beings (entia) may be further rethought largely in three stages as follows:
| (1) | The eternal existence of the Tri-Personal Ipsa Essentia Subsistens ad intra In all eternity, one may say God the Father is Ipsa Essentia Subsistens, so is God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Yet, due to the divine mystery of Trinitarian perichoresis, compenetration or interpenetration (Kaiser 128–29), there is only one Tri-Personal perechoretic Ipsa Essentia Subsistens. In other words, the Three Divine Persons in eternity perfectly compenetrate or interpenetrate one another as the one Triune God (i.e., the Most Holy Trinity). Thereby, due to such a divine perichoretic presence, the whole eternal realm of uncreated existence was filled and permeated through and through with the infinite plenitude of the Essentia of Tri-Personal Subsisting Essence Itself. Everywhere then was infinitely overflowing with the Tri-Personal Essence of perfect holiness, truth, life, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, generosity, glory, etc. This scenario is different from Platonism and its later development in at least three senses. First, here it is addressing the Christian Tri-Personal God in terms of His perichoretic Essence, whereas Plato in his cosmology seems to be talking about his theory of eternal, impersonal forms or his notion of Demiurge, the artisan or creator of the universe. Second, here it is addressing the Christian process of salvation, whereas Plato was exploring the beginning of the universe in terms of his non-Christian philosophy or cosmology. Third, this Tri-Personal God, following Thomas, is all good and holy, whereas the Platonic Demiurge adopted by the Gnostic later as the fashioner of the material universe is malevolent ("Demiurge"). | ||||
| (2) | The Tri-Personal Ipsa Essentia Subsistens ad extra Apparently, within Its divine all-present compenetrating Essence, the Tri- Personal Subsisting Essence Itself reached out of Itself and created all things, in particular human beings (entia), in order to share with their created existence and essence Its uncreated perichoretic Essence of perfect holiness, truth, life, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, glory, etc. The Holy Scriptures reveal: "He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible … All things were created through Him and for Him" (Col. 1:25–16). Thus, we may say all things, especially humans, were created in and for the Second Person of the Tri-Personal Subsisting Essence Itself. Thus, humans may be able to partake in His Essence of holiness, love, joy, etc., as "partakers of divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4). Clearly, Christ the God-Man is both uncreated and created. Christ is uncreated, since He is God Himself according to His perichoretic divinity, begotten but not made by the Father. According to the Trinitarian perichoresis mentioned (Kaiser 128–29), there dwells in One Divine Person the fullness of the other Two Divine Persons in full compenetration. At the same time, as "the first-born of all creation" (Col. 1:15), Christ is a Man created. To this extent, Christ is the Uncreated-Created Essence. Further, since "in Him [Christ] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col. 1:19), we may say humans are created to partake profusely in God's fullness in and through Christ's perfect divine and human Essence of holiness, love, joy, etc. | ||||
| (3) | The Fulfillment of the Tri-Personal Ipsa Essentia Subsistens ad extra "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Yet, through the death of Christ, all humanity is now reconciled with God (Rom. 5:8–11). In other words, through Christ the mediating Redeemer between God and all humanity, the existence and essence of all human beings could partake once again in God's omnipresent Essentia that is fully present in and through Christ's divine and human Essence. Therefore, all humans can partake now, and increasingly so, in both the divinity and humanity of Christ until their created fullness in the everlasting Heaven. Additionally, in His perfect interpenetrating oneness with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, Christ is the ever living Alpha and Omega Himself (i.e., the First Cause and the Final Cause of the whole salvation process of human beings) (Rev. 1:8; 22:13). Apparently, as all the fullness of God in both the uncreated and created realms of existence is pleased to dwell in Christ (Col. 1:19), the URAM of each human being created by God in his or her esse and essence is to partake increasingly in Christ's infinite plenitude of Esse and Essentia. Simultaneously, since Christ is the perfect visible image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation (Col. 1:15), He is the Formal Cause of all human beings (entia) created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Finally, Christ is also the only Efficient Cause or Effective Way, Truth, and Life (John 14:6) for all humanity to partake increasingly in the perichoretic Essence or Existence of God in Him. Analogically, as the Holy Bible informs us (John 15:5), this personal Uncreated-Created Divine-Human Essence is ultimately the omnipresent Vine, without Him all human beings living as His branches can do nothing pleasing to God. To conclude, in view of the above depiction of the salvation process, the URAM of living for all human beings, with no difference to the present self-fulfillment-seeking generations, would consist in striving for the correct awareness, attitude, and action with respect to the following three vital truths. First, each human person is an ens created by the Tri-Personal Ens a se or Subsisting Essence Itself to partake increasingly in Its omnipresent divine Existence or Essence. Second, the whole humanity has fallen into sin. Yet, Jesus Christ, the Uncreated-Created Being (Ens), remains being the First, Final, Formal, and Efficient Causes not only of the process of creation, but also that of salvation. Third, as Christ being also "the head of his body, the church … that in everything He might be pre-eminent … and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven" (Col. 1:18, 20), all humans in their existence and essence are called to respond unceasingly and increasingly to Christ and His Mystical Body (the Church). In this way, the massive repercussion that occurs would progressively set off an immense spiritual renewal for all humanity (Cheng, Comparative Study 83–84). | ||||
ENCULTURATION OF SUBSISTING ESSENCE ITSELF FOR THE PRESENT GENERATIONS
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As mentioned, it is sufficiently clear that Ipsa Essentia Subsistens is significant for all humanity. However, as a divine name for God, unless it is further illuminated, both Christians and non-Christians today might not find Subsisting Essence Itself that exciting and relevant to their lives. Nonetheless, one major way of elucidating this divine name is by way of enculturation. Thus, the second steering question as regards the metaphysical development of Ipsa Essentia Subsistens has emerged. That is: How should Subsisting Essence Itself be enculturated into a more exciting and germane concept of God for the present self-fulfillment-seeking generations? The following sub-sections would attempt to answer this inquiry.
THE MEANING OF ENCULTURATION FOR THE PRESENT GENERATIONS
As history informs us, all Christian attempts of preaching the Gospel to human beings, whether it comes directly from God or indirectly from His ambassadors, has to go through the human cultural medium (Lonergan, Method in Theology xi; Cheng, "Comparing" 110). As a process of socialization, it is pertinent to note that "enculturation" is different from "inculturation." To Roman Catholics, both terms are related to the Vatican II Council (1962–65), which promoted the Church's renewal and evangelization. Fittingly, such efforts are carried out in terms of both "ressourcement" (going back to the original source) and "aggiornamento" (bringing up-to-date). On the one hand, "inculturation is the adaptation of the way Church teachings are presented to non-Christian cultures and, in turn, the influence of those cultures on the evolution of these teachings. This is a term that is generally used by Roman Catholics, whereas Protestants tend to use the term 'contextual theology'" ("Inculturation").
On the other hand, "enculturation" is also "related to socialization, the process by which people learn the requirements of their surrounding culture and acquire values and behaviors appropriate or necessary in that culture. As part of this process, the influences that limit, direct, or shape the individual (whether deliberately or not) include parents, other adults, and peers. If successful, enculturation results in competence in the language, values, and rituals of the culture" ("Enculturation"). Applied to Subsisting Essence Itself derived from its medieval abstract metaphysical context, enculturation means acquiring inspiring practical values and behaviors from the present globalized culture as a fitting means of aggiornamento and ressourcement, in order to reinterpret relevantly this divine name for the people today as a whole.
Indeed, according to the Vatican II, the destiny of the human race should now be viewed as a complete whole, no longer in the particular histories of various peoples (Flannery 907). Patently, after the end of the medieval period around 1500, the present global village is going through the 4th Industrial Revolution. It is characterized by its unprecedented use of physical energy for its record growth of artificial intelligence and supercomputers. Historically, the 1st Industrial Revolution was marked by its mechanical production and steam power about 1784. The 2nd began near 1870 by its vast use of electrical power and mass production, followed by the 3rd around 1969 via its worldwide digital revolution in the Internet and the wireless cell phone ("Industry 4.0"; Scherer 21–50). Hence, inter alia it is fitting to enculturate Ipsa Essentia Subsistens in terms of the smart mobile phone.
THE WIRELESS MOBILE PHONE AND THE PRESENT WESTERN GENERATIONS
Apparently, one of the most popular symbols today that can depict the cultural behavior of the present young, adult, and even senior generations, is the smart wireless mobile phone (Scherer 21–51). Efficiently, a person can use the mobile phone anywhere, anytime, instantly, interactively for a great variety of positive purposes in everyday living, such as: (1) for telephoning; (2) for texting messages; (3) for international communication; (4) for going on the Internet; (5) for friendly fellowship; (6) for obtaining world news; (7) for watching movies; (8) for listening to music; (9) for shopping; (10) for banking.
On the contrary, the smart mobile phone can be used viciously and negatively. For example, it can be an easy access (1) for pornography; (2) for business cheating; (3) for terrorist activities; (4) for illegal spying; (5) for extreme overuses to the detriment of one's spirituality, family, wealth, etc. In other words, a smart mobile phone can disastrously consume one's precious life.
However, given happiness is defined broadly and positively, the use of the mobile phone has undeniably become an immense source of happiness for the self-fulfillment-seeking generations today. In other words, the smart phone has turned out as a multifunctional supply of daily conveniences, bringing innumerable instant, short-term, long-term self-fulfillments to the present global villagers. Statistics have shown that most Americans today can no longer live without the daily wonderful use of the smart mobile phone (Scherer 34).
Lonergan observes that the question of God lies right within man's horizon, which cannot be ignored by the atheist, agnostic or the contemporary humanist (Lonergan, Method in Theology 103). Indeed, if the divine is ignored, man created as the living image of God would still look for Him in and through creation, even identifying a part of creation as the Creator (Rom. 1:25). Significantly, this seems to be happening today to countless people. For example, the clever mobile phone has largely reached en masse the status of an adorable, indispensable god or goddess in the secular world. Significantly, this adorable gadget seems to have replaced the traditional status of the all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-interactive, all-approachable Christian God. As mentioned, this modern golden calf (Exod. 32:1–35) has been generating unprecedented happiness or self-fulfillment to the people today. Therefore, it would be a great contribution to Christian evangelization, if Ipsa Essentia Subsistens could be contextually enculturated in terms of the appealing characteristics of the smart mobile phone.
From this fascinating symbol or sign of the present age (i.e., the mobile phone), it is obvious that the God whom countless people are seeking is not a God in the transcendent world. Rather, it is a Deity who is concretely and immanently all-present, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-interactive, all-approachable, bringing forth great daily happiness or self-fulfillment to all walks of life. Thus, it would be really good news if Subsisting Essence Itself could be updated according to such an ideal God whom countless people today are consciously, subconsciously, and unconsciously seeking.
As the following subsection will daringly show, Subsisting Essence Itself may be enculturated as the Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Happiness Itself. Such a concept of God, like the smart mobile phone itself, should be immensely appealing to at least quite a few self-fulfillment-seeking people today. Besides, this divine name for God might begin to inspire and spawn great happiness and self-fulfillment to countless global villagers. Of course, the requirement is that people would approach this God with the right awareness, attitude, and action. The rest of the paper will explain this observation. But first of all, the following subsection will explicate God as Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Happiness Itself.
SUBSISTING ESSENCE ITSELF AS INFINITE SELF-FULFILLMENT OR HAPPINESS ITSELF
To begin with, by definition, "essence" (Latin: essentia) concisely means "quidditas (Latin) that is whatness, what it is, nature, substance" (Deferrari 358). St. Thomas Aquinas states: "God is happiness by His Essence; for He is happy not by acquisition or participation of something else, but by His Essence" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. 1–11, q. 3, a. 1). Happiness is, thus, an unmistakable Thomistic attribute of God's Essence. It is true that there can be an infinite number of divine attributes or characteristics attributable to God's infinite Essence. To that limited extent, one may enculturate Subsisting Essence Itself as Subsisting Happiness Itself, or better, Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself. As we may also know, "subsisting" or "subsistent" tends to yield an unacceptably negative connotation in the present global culture that universally champions one's economic independence. Unpleasantly, "subsistence" in general means "the action or fact of maintaining or supporting oneself at a minimal level: the minimum income needed for subsistence" (Soanes and Stevenson 1761).
Further, in the present happiness-seeking or self-fulfillment-seeking world, the idea of happiness and the concept of self-fulfillment are inseparable. Oftentimes, self-fulfillment means the pursuit of happiness in self-satisfaction, and self-satisfying happiness means the pursuit of happy self-fulfillment. At the same time, self-fulfillment without self-satisfying happiness is not really true self-fulfillment, and self-satisfying happiness without true self-fulfillment is not really true happiness (Kluger, Aciman, and Steinmetz 68–82). Therefore, it is reasonably timely to rethink God's very being (ens), nature, essence or substance in terms of self-satisfying happiness or happy self-fulfillment for the people today.
In fact, self-seeking and self-fulfillment for the generations today are not necessarily evil terms. It all depends on the kind of "self," "self-seeking," and "self-fulfillment" a person is seeking. On one hand, it is one's human self-seeking without the real presence of God in one's life that is self-idolatry or evil, such as Kant's agnostic subjectivism. On the other, there is a kind of self-seeking which is oriented towards God the true Self. Biblically speaking, God who calls Himself "I am who I am" (Exod. 3:14) can be called the true I or true Self. As mentioned, God can even be named Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Infinite Happiness Itself who is infinitely filled with infinite happiness or self-fulfillment, unceasingly inviting our discovery and participation in His omnipresent Self, Existence, Essence, Self-Fulfillment or Happiness. Thus, the whole Christian history of salvation respecting humanity may be rethought via Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Happiness Itself in three major stages:
| (1) | The eternal existence of Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Happiness Itself who is infinitely overflowing with infinite divine happiness or self-fulfillment, as there is no distinction between His Esse and Essentia; | ||||
| (2) | The creation of human beings (entia) as images of Infinite Happiness Itself by Infinite Happiness Itself as their First, Final, Formal, and Efficient Cause; | ||||
| (3) | The increasing eschatological participation of each human being in the very Existence and Essence of Infinite Happiness Itself until his/her perfect state in Heaven. | ||||
Hence, the only future of each human being created to be seeking happiness or self-fulfillment is to take Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself very seriously as his/her own First, Final, Formal, Efficient Cause.
Here, similar to what has been proposed above, Christ may be rethought as the Uncreated-Created Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself/Himself. Being fully God, Christ is the Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself/Himself, infinitely full of happiness or joy. That is perhaps why Jesus said: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11) Simultaneously, being "the first born of all creation" (Col. 1:15), Christ can be viewed as a human ens whose existence and essence are distinct from one another. Nonetheless, His resurrected humanity is now irreversibly united with His divinity, partaking forever in the infinite plenitude of God's Essence as Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment.
Further, as the ever-living Alpha and Omega Himself (Rev. 1:8; 22:13), Christ should also be taken as the First and Final Causes of the whole salvation process of human beings created and called to participate more and more in God's Essence or Happiness "as partakers of divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4). Likewise, since all the fullness of God in both the uncreated and created realms of existence is pleased to dwell in Christ (Col. 1:19), the true self of each human being is also created to partake increasingly in His infinite fullness of Esse and Essentia. Moreover, as the visible image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation (Col. 1:15), Christ is the Formal Cause of all human beings having been created in God's image (Gen. 1:26).
Finally, Christ is also the only Efficient Cause or Effective Way (John 14:6) for each human person to share progressively in the divine Essence and Existence of God. Indeed, if more and more human beings could respond to their innermost inborn vocation in searching for their true selves and happiness through this living Uncreated-Created Happiness Himself and His Mystical Body (i.e., the Church of Christ), an immense spiritual renewal will be set off in the entire human family.
However well said above, in view of the current metaphysical macro-paradigm shift from being (ens) to energylike-being (ens) spreading across the globe (to be explored in the next sub-section), Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself as a Thomistically oriented term is still too static, transcendent, woolly, non-radiating, non-permeating, etc. In truth, Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself is in need of being further enculturated in terms of this ongoing metaphysical shift. Otherwise, such an exciting divine name would not reach its full potentiality or actualization for the blessings of the present generations.
But first of all, such a metaphysical shift needs to be explained before Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself can be further enculturated. Besides, one may not understand sufficiently such a characteristic of the present age.
THE METAPHYSICAL MACRO-PARADIGM SHIFT FROM BEING TO ENERGY-BEING
The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World is an important document of the Catholic Church agreed upon by hundreds of bishops and experts worldwide during the Second Vatican Council (1962–65). Concerning the new modern problems or challenges being encountered by the whole human family today, this document summarily states: "And so mankind substitutes a dynamic and more evolutionary concept of nature for a static one, and the result is an immense series of new problems calling for a new endeavor of analysis and synthesis" (Flannery 907).
Hence, it is appropriate to highlight the contents of a previous article by the author entitled "An Emerging Metaphysical Macroparadigm Shift from Being to Energy-Being" (Cheng, "Emerging" 314–30). In this research paper, it is discovered that there is an emerging major metaphysical paradigm turning point that has been sweeping progressively across both the West as well as the rest of the world for more than a century. Such a metaphysical swing consists in that every "being" (ens)—in natural sciences, technologies, humanities, religions, and even daily gadgets like in the use of the Internet, television, computer, camera, microwave oven, mobile phone—is no longer consciously experienced, understood, judged, and determined conscientiously by people today in general as something abstract, static, transcendent, woolly, non-empirical, non-radioactive, non-penetrative, non-interactive like the "being" (ens) of the past ages (Horvath 27).
Rather, since the beginning of the nineteenth century, the whole world, on the one hand, has been increasingly influenced, for instance, by the development of quantum physics and high technologies, as well as the promotion of Freudian and Jungian concepts of psychic energies. On the other hand, the belief of the Orthodox concept of God's Divine Energy, the practice of energy medicine, qi exercise, qi philosophy of Asian cultures like that of the Chinese, Korea, and Japan have been gradually accepted (Cheng, "URAM" 30–35). Thus, to a massive extent, every "being" (ens) has been consciously experienced, understood, judged, and determined by the present generations like an energetic being, energy-like being or even energy (i.e., something concrete, dynamic, immanent, energy-like, empirical, radioactive, penetrative, interactive) (Cheng, "Emerging" 323–26). Comparatively speaking, every "being" (ens) tends to behave like qi or qi-being in the Chinese culture (Cheng, "Comparing" 120–21).
As Vincent Shen points out, the third millennium is characterized by three particular signs. They are (1) the extension of the global outreach into the cosmic realm, (2) the comprehensive application of high information technology, and (3) the mounting contrast between secular search and mystical exploration of universal truth, goodness, and beauty (Shen 138–41). In closer examination, all these three signs of the time have to do inextricably with energy or energy-like being.
Evidently, it is only through the transcosmic radiation of energy that scientists can communicate with distant spaceships and intergalactic satellites to reach out extensively to the universe (e.g., to the sun and other galaxies). Again, it is only by means of the dynamic, immanent, radioactive, penetrative, interactive energy that inventions and developments of high information technology, like that of the smart mobile phone, are made. Moreover, spiritually speaking, it is only through the activation of God's omnipresent Divine Energy and the meditation of the all-present cosmic qi by the human spirit, for example, that deeper truth, goodness, and beauty present everywhere in the universe could be partaken in.
As a whole, it appears that people in the West over the past century have begun to discover metaphysically that every being (ens) is something concrete, dynamic, immanent, empirical, radioactive, penetrative, interactive. It is acting ceaselessly like energy or qi which the Chinese culture has ascertained for many centuries. Indeed, it appears that many people today begin to feel that every being (ens)—physically, scientifically, technologically, personally, socially, spiritually, globally, cosmically—is behaving like an energetic being (ens), so much so that each being (ens) may even be heuristically called an energy-like being (ens) or energy (Cheng, "Emerging" 325–27).
INFINITE HAPPINESS ENERGY RADIATING WITH INFINITE HAPPINESS ENERGY
First of all, as the Holy Scripture reveals to us transparently, God is light itself (1 John 1:5; Matt. 28:3; Ezek. 10:8). At the same time, existing as light itself God also radiates or shines forth His light, glory or brilliance (Rev. 21:23; Hab. 3:4; Ps. 44:3).
Thus, it is vital to rethink this divine reality (i.e., God is light radiating His light) dynamically for the dynamic mentality for the people today in terms of the Eastern Orthodox concept of God's light being the same as God's Energy (Lossky, "Mystical" 72–74). Therefore, one may say that God is Infinite Uncreated Energy Itself radiating with His Infinite Uncreated Energy. Being the eternal Infinite Uncreated Energy ad intra, God is thus the infinite living source of the Uncreated Energy ad extra. In fact, this radiation of Uncreated Energy by God will never cease. For all eternity, God's Divine Energy or Light will continue to permeate all creation.
Further, as mentioned above, God's Essence or Whatness (What-It-Is) can be identified Thomistically in terms of "Happiness," a divine attribute that belongs to His eternal divine nature. Hence, reappropriating such a static Thomistic concept dynamically today, we may rethink that God is the eternal Infinite Happiness Itself, without beginning and end, ceaselessly radiating with His Infinite Happiness. On the other, we may also say that God is Infinite Happiness Energy Itself radiating endlessly with His Infinite Happiness Energy. Here is a pertinent beatific vision given providentially to St. Faustina Kowalska (1905–38) which witnesses reaffirmingly God as Infinite Happiness Energy Itself radiating with His Infinite Happiness Energy:
Today I was in heaven, in spirit, and I saw its inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source; and they enter into the depths of God, contemplating the inner life of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, whom they will never comprehend or fathom.
The source of happiness is unchanging in its essence, but it is always new, gushing forth happiness for all creatures. Now I understand Saint Paul, who said: "Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him." (Kowalska 310–11)
Moreover, in a mystical experience, St. Faustina witnesses the sweet divine happiness flowing out from Infinite Happiness Itself in Heaven: "During meditation, the Lord gave me knowledge of the joy of heaven and of the saints on our arrival there … It is from the face of God that this joy flows out upon all, because we see Him face to face. His face is so sweet that the soul falls anew into ecstasy" (Kowalska 566–67).
"Those who see God are said to have eternal life" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. 1, q. 10, a. 3). Patently, the above out-of-this-secular-world mystical experience and beatific vision of St. Faustina are quite inspiring to the happiness-seeking people today who seem to have limited themselves exclusively to the present secular world. In fact, these experiences seem to sum up directly and indirectly the ultimate eschatological happiness or self-fulfillment which each human person has been consciously, subconsciously, and unconsciously seeking after (Cheng, "God's Familization Process" 210). As pointed out, one of the three prominent characteristics of the third millennium is that there will be an increasing contrast between the secular search and the mystical exploration of what is true, good, and beautiful in this universe.
Besides, according to Jacques Maritain (1882–1973), above and beyond the scientific knowledge and human wisdom of the sensible natural world, there are four levels of wisdom about the Creator. The first level of wisdom is metaphysical wisdom (e.g., knowing God as the First Cause as some metaphysical insight gained by the natural light of wisdom). The second level of wisdom is theological wisdom as "an elucidation of revealed data by faith vitally linked with reason" (Maritain 252). The third level of wisdom is mystical wisdom or "infused wisdom which is also called mystical theology and which consists in knowing the essentially supernatural object of faith and theology" (Maritain 253). However, the highest level is beatific vision: "By an intuitive vision of the Divine Essence, the beatified creature will receive—with no shadow of pantheism—infinitely more than the most daring pantheism can dream of: the infinitely transcendent God Himself … The true God who is eternally self-sufficient and eternally blessed in the Trinity of Persons" (Maritain 255). According to the mystical Orthodox spirituality, such a beatific vision is one of the characteristics of our non-pantheistic eschatological union with God (Lossky, Vision of God 9).
It is not easy to discern whether St. Faustina's sublime experiences of Infinite Happiness Itself belong to the mystical wisdom or beatific vision. However, it suffices to know that her mystical wisdom or beatific vision can be very encouraging in building up the present happiness- or self-fulfillment-seeking generations. Apparently, innumerable people today have been extremely carried away in the secular realm by the happiness or self-fulfillment generated by the present success of wisdom in natural science and the bloom of technology, as found for example in the wireless mobile phone. They need to be aware comprehensively of these other four levels of supernatural wisdom, in order to make a truly wise choice for their self-fulfillment.
It is clear that, on the one hand, God is Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself. And on the other, all humans are created by essence "to be gods by participation" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. I–II, q. 3, a. 2). Therefore, there is a great evangelical demand to rethink the salvation process in terms of Infinite Happiness/Self-Fulfillment Itself today to the present happiness or self-fulfillment-seeking generations. As we know from daily newspapers, people today are freely, openly, unashamedly seeking after happiness or self-self-fulfillment, whether according to their secular nature or supernatural essence. Quoting Boethius, St. Thomas concurs with the Divine Revelation of men as "partakers of divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4): "Men are happy, by participation (in God who is happiness by His Essence). And this participation of happiness, in respect of which man is said to be happy, is something created" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. I–II, q. 3, a. 2). In fact, "[h]appiness is called man's supreme good, because it is the attainment or enjoyment of the supreme good (in God who is happiness by His Essence)" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. I–II, q. 3, a. 2).
RETHINKING SALVATION HISTORY VIA INFINITE HAPPINESS/SELF-FULFILLMENT ITSELF
Ostensibly, the whole salvation history may be rethought in three major stages in terms of God being Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself as follows:
| (1) | The Most Holy Trinity ad intra: In all eternity, the Most Holy Trinity, being Ipsum Esse Subsistens, has fulfilled all His inner potentialities. In fact, God can be called Ipsa Essentia Subsistens or Infinite Happiness Itself who is infinitely filled with infinite self-fulfillment. Speaking in energy terms in light of St. Faustina's experiences, God may, too, be called Infinite Happiness Energy Itself ceaselessly radiating with infinite Happiness Energy. As God is Esse Itself, the whole existence then is concretely filled with His Essence of Happiness Energy, even to its infinite fullness. In other words, God by His omnipresent Existence can spread or transport all His Essence or Happiness Energy instantly and all-presently to all of existence. Apparently, one may say there are at least five kinds of transportations: (a) transportation by the body (i.e., moving a concrete being [ens] from one place to another by the human, animal or vegetative body); (b) transportation by a vehicle (i.e., moving a concrete being [ens] by a human vehicle such as a car or aircraft); (c) transportation by scientific distant energy radiation (e.g., teleportation or quantum energy teleportation—something which has recently been proved possible technologically) ("Teleportation"); (d) transportation by the human mind or telekinesis (i.e., moving a concrete being [ens] by one's psychic energy) (Hoy); (e) transportation by God's divine nature or mind (i.e., moving a concrete being [ens] by God's nature or directive mind through His Divine Energy instantly and all-presently, such as in this Thomistic case that God's Essence or Happiness Energy is the same as His Act of Existence). In reflection, God may be analogically called "the uncreated smart wireless mobile phone of all smart wireless mobile phones." God is so in the sense that He possesses by Essence all the wonderful positive characteristics of the smart mobile phones and, indeed, even to the infinite inexpressible extent. In different expression, if the smart mobile phone is filled with human-made self-fulfillment, happiness, freedom, God is actually the same but infinitely more so, being the uncaused Cause of all creation. If the smart mobile phone is informationally communicative, friendly, and interactive, God is likewise and infinitely more surpassing than this mere human invention. If the smart mobile phone is technologically omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, then God is also like this human gadget but infinitely more by His infinite, eternal, uncreated divine Essence, being the supreme unsurpassed Creator of all things, visible and invisible. Apparently, God needs to be rediscovered anew by many people today. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2) | The Most Holy Trinity ad extra: As Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself, the Triune God reaches out ad extra from eternity to create all beings (entia) to share His Essence of Happiness or Self-Fulfillment. As Meister Eckhart (c.1260–c.1328) points out clearly for us: "The pronoun 'I' rightly belongs only to God. God's absolute self-presence allows him to announce his name as 'I am who am' (Exod. 3:14)" (McGinn 138). Hence, the only true "self" belongs to God alone, so much so that the Uncreated Self and Self-Fulfillment of God has become the absolute, eternal, perfect yardstick for all created "selves" and their "self-fulfillment" in the created realm. Therefore, in the history of salvation, one may find the following different selves:
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| (3) | The Fulfillment of the Most Holy Trinity ad extra in Heaven—In light of the various true and false selves mentioned above, the everlasting fulfillment of the Triune Self-Fulfillment Itself reaching out to create angels and human consists in their fullest participation in the divine happiness or self-fulfillment of the Most Holy Trinity. In different words, all the angelic and human selves are created to be in continuous response to the unceasing invitation of God the Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself to find their true selves as well as their true self-fulfillment or happiness. Directly or indirectly, they are to do so through Christ the Uncreated-Created Self-Fulfillment Himself via the correct awareness, attitude, and action of their true selves created according to the Self of God in Christ (Col. 1:15–16). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indeed, if these angelic and human creatures do respond to God's Self with their true selves against the temptations of their false selves, they would enjoy everlasting true self-fulfillment or happiness in Heaven. If they do not, according to the teaching of the Holy Bible (Col. 1:18; etc.) and the Church of Christ, they would suffer everlasting un-happiness and un-fulfillments in Hell (i.e., completely cut off from the Infinite Happiness Itself and Christ the Uncreated-Created Happiness Himself).
SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE PRESENT SELF-SEEKING GENERATIONS
To begin with, as regards the history of salvation for the present self-seeking generations, it is critical to take note of two important truths. On the one hand, as we know, both angels and humans created with a conscious free will would have to go through a probation given by Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself. This is to test if they are true to their true selves and true self-fulfillment created as living images of Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself. As a consequence, except for the Holy Angels, all have to varying extents followed their false selves in seeking self-fulfillment. They have, thus, sinned against God and their true selves, falling short of the glory of Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself (Rom. 3:23). Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man (Adam), so death has spread to all humans with regards their inability to find their true selves and true self-fulfillment in God (Rom. 5:12).
On the other hand, God has shown His great unconditional love for us humans in that while we were yet sinners, unable to find our true selves and true self-fulfillment, Christ the Uncreated-Created Self-Fulfillment Himself died for us all (Rom. 5:8). As a result, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:1). In other words, we can no longer afford to live according to the false ways or laws of our false selves and false self-fulfillment. Overall speaking, to set our free wills deliberately on such falsities is death, betraying our true selves and true self-fulfillments. Conversely, to set our true selves and self-fulfillment freely and consciously on the Holy Spirit is life and peace (Rom. 8:7). As the Holy Bible also reveals to us, the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit of Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself (Rom. 14:17).
Further, if Christ Himself is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament according to the dogmatic teaching of both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, it is vital for the present self-fulfillment-seeking generations to take this living Centre of the whole universe (Schillebeeckx 215–16) and "heaven on earth" (Monk 250) very seriously. As mentioned, this Incarnate Happiness Himself does not cease radiating and spreading His Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Energies to all those who come to the Blessed Sacrament. Being the Infinite Living Source of true happiness and true self-fulfillment for those created according to His image, He summons us all most sincerely: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scriptures has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37–38).
Without a doubt, no one in the world today can be forced to accept the truth respecting God as Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself. In particular, He has been reaching out and inviting all of us unceasingly to discover and partake in His omnipresent Essence of Self-Fulfillment through Christ the Uncreated-Created Self-Fulfillment Himself. However, our very nature—created and rooted in seeking true self-fulfillment in God—already compels us to seek out the truth (John-Paul II 6).
In the final analysis, however mesmerizing, the smart mobile phone is only an artificial source of fleeting, imperfect happiness or self-fulfillment that can be used positively or negatively as discussed. On the contrary, God is eternally and perfectly Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself, being the Living Source of all true human happiness or self-fulfillment. At the very same time, God is ceaselessly summoning each of us created as "partakers of divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4) to participate progressively in His divine nature expressed here as Happiness or Self-Fulfillment. St. Thomas repeats: "Men are happy by participation; just as they are called gods, by participation. And this participation of happiness…. is something created" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. I–II, q. 3, a. 2).
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Section:
By all appearances, countless people living in the present post-Christian, multi-cultural, rationalistic, materialistic, relativistic, hedonistic, and self-fulfillment-seeking age have been experiencing a real difficulty or crisis in their proper conception of God. It is of paramount importance to the present young, adult, and senior generations that a relevant concept of God be reconceived. To begin with, this paper took upon "ressourcement" and "aggiornamento" as the two key words for Christian renewal. Then, the author went back to the metaphysics of Aquinas, as well as the Bible, to search for a concept of God appropriate to the people today.
As a result, Ipsa Essentia Subsistens has been heuristically unearthed and pointed out as St. Thomas' metaphysically implied concept of Ipsum Esse Subsistens. To this extent, linguistically speaking, Ipsa Essentia Subsistens is a missing metaphysical concept of Ipsum Esse Subsistens. Simultaneously, to the present self-fulfillment-seeking generation, St. Thomas did not sufficiently indicate the concrete and dynamic connotation of Esse in terms of His Essentia. But the Common Doctor is not to be blamed for, since in that medieval period, the term "esse" was allegedly the same as concrete and real as "essentia." Besides, "esse" was quite a dynamic term. Armand Maurer, C.S.B., notes: "The identification of God with pure esse warns us that for St. Thomas being is not the mere fact that a thing exists, or its presence in the world. In fact, esse is dynamic and energizing act…. Esse is dynamic impulse, energy, act—the first, the most persistent and enduring of all dynamisms, all energies, all acts" (Aquinas, On Being and Essence, 2nd ed., 18–19).
Apparently, people today do not really understand and appreciate the Latin term Ipsa Essentia Subsistens as a fitting name for God. Hence, this divine name is in need of being enculturated according to today's mentality. Hence, at the minimum, this renewal has to be carried out, on the one hand, in light of the smart mobile phone embraced today like a postmodern goddess or deus ex machina. On the other, such a rethinking of Subsisting Essence Itself has to be re-described in terms of the emerging metaphysical paradigm shift from "being" to "energy-being."
Consequently, for the present generations, Infinite Essence Itself has been enculturated as Infinite Happiness or Self-Fulfillment Itself. Such an omnipresent God is not only infinitely filled with infinite happiness or self-fulfillment but is also substantially concrete everywhere in person. Besides, this Deity is ceaselessly inviting each person today to discover and partake in His all-present Essence or Substance. Did St. John of Damascus (c. 675–749) not describe God as pelagus substantiae infinitum (i.e., the infinite sea of substance) (Deferrari 1007)? Also, did Teilhard de Chardin, S.J. (1881–1955) not depict God's concrete omnipresence as the divine milieu? This omnipresent milieu of God in fact "has sprung up so universally, and we find ourselves so surrounded and transfixed by it, that there is no room to fall down and adore it, even within ourselves" (de Chardin 112).
As another delightful consequence is that Jesus Christ is enculturated too (i.e., as Infinite Uncreated-Created Happiness, Self-Fulfillment Himself), and especially as Uncreated-Created Self for the present self-seeking generations seeking constantly for self-fulfillment. Remarkably, since it is in Christ that "all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col. 1:19), it is extremely important that the "self" of the people today is to be inextricably related and connected with the 'Self" of this Self-Fulfillment Himself. Otherwise, no true self-fulfillment or happiness is really possible for these generations. In particular, such divine names for Christ may become amazingly inspiring and delightful to mystically oriented Christians who believe in His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. Did Karl Rahner, S.J. (1904–84), not predict that the future Christian will either be a mystic or will cease to be one (Rahner 149)?
The Angelic Doctor says: "Happiness is said to be the last end, in the same way as the attainment of the end is called the end" (Aquinas, Summa Theologica, pt. I–II, q. 3, a. 2). It appears historically that the very happiness or self-fulfillment deriving from both God and Christ have been experienced aplenty by innumerable Christian mystics. Hence, this repeatable mystical experience has to be spread evangelically today by means of, for example, these newly enculturated divine names.
According to Maritain's insight, above that of natural science, there are four higher levels of knowledge or wisdom about God (i.e., metaphysical, theological, mystical, and beatific) (Maritain 253). Briefly, metaphysical knowledge or wisdom is gained by one's excellent use of natural reason. Theological knowledge or wisdom is derived through revealed faith due to the obstacles of the human reason. Mystical knowledge or wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit given on earth. Finally, beatific knowledge or wisdom is given by God through a beatific vision in Heaven or even on earth as in the case of St. Faustina and St. Thomas Aquinas.
As we further know, after given a beatific glimpse of God during the celebration of Holy Mass on 6 Dec. 1273, St. Thomas simply gave up all his writings. He regarded all his metaphysical-theological writings as straw and did not complete Summa Theologiae. Therefore, what has been presented above is largely an exploration of the metaphysical and theological knowledge or wisdom of God. There is still a far distance to go. Indeed, if one desires to go higher, one has to aim for mystical knowledge or wisdom of God. That is inter alia what this paper is calling for, as a challenge to become mystics according to our deeper happiness- or self-fulfillment-seeking yearning for God here on earth (Cheng, "Meaning" 166–68).
All in all, it is truly important for the present self-fulfillment-seeking generations to realize that, in spite of every obstacle, the only reliable way to find true innermost happiness or self-fulfillment, both on earth and in Heaven, comes only from Infinite Self-Fulfillment Itself. As we know, through Christ, this God is the First Cause, Final Cause, Formal Cause, as well as the Efficient Cause with respect to our very deepest inner being created in the image of the Infinite Self-Fulfillment or Happiness Itself.
Finally, by all appearances, the above development is only a small beginning. Further or much further development needs to be done in the future.
Aquinas Gods Power and Knowledge Is Endless
Source: https://utpjournals.press/doi/full/10.3138/uram.36.3-4.103
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