God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (Eph. 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (Eph. 2:18; 2 Peter 1:4). Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (Col. 1;15, 1 Tim. 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (Ex. 33:11; John 15:14-15) and lives among them (Bar. 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself. This plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds wrought by God in the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them.
“Placuit Deo in sua bonitate et sapientia Seipsum revelare et notum facere sacramentum voluntatis suae (cf. Eph 1,9), quo homines per Christum, Verbum carnem factum, in Spiritu Sancto accessum habent ad Patrem et divinae naturae consortes efficiuntur (cf. Eph 2,18; 2 Petr 1,4). Hac itaque revelatione Deus invisibilis (cf. Col 1,15; 1 Tim 1,17) ex abundantia caritatis suae homines tamquam amicos alloquitur (cf. Ex 33,11; Io 15,14-15) et cum eis conversatur (cf. Bar 3,38), ut eos ad societatem Secum invitet in eamque suscipiat. Haec revelationis oeconomia fit gestis verbisque intrinsece inter se connexis, ita ut opera, in historia salutis a Deo patrata, doctrinam et res verbis significatas manifestent ac corroborent, verba autem opera proclament et mysterium in eis contentum elucident”.
Opening Address by John XXIII-October 11, 1962
Constitutions
- Dei Verbum
- Lumen Gentium
- Sacrosanctum Concilium
- Gaudium et Spes
Declarations
- Gravissimum Educationis
- Nostra Aetate
- Dignitatis Humanae
Decrees
- Ad Gentes
- Presbyterorum Ordinis
- Apostolicam Actuositatem
- Optatam Totius
- Perfectae Caritatis
- Christus Dominus
- Unitatis Redintegratio
- Orientalium Ecclesiarum
- Inter Mirifica
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