I am not catholic, but if I were, that whole “opening to the newness of God” business would alarm me. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I’m no Catholic either, but I took it to mean the newness that WE can see in our own lives that Christ creates in us. Just like a one-time Babtism makes one born-again (and “new”) - the day to day discoveries to remind us that Christ is alive and in us.
Rather than, perhaps, the “sterile” living of just trying to do the same thing we did yesterday, and the day before that. That even churches can fall into. All while following the 10 Commandments - but perhaps without the daring sense of adventure and continuing growth and “living life abundantly” that Christ means for us to have.
(And no - not the “abundantly” that Joel Olsteen talks about!)
Yes, God is the SAME, yesterday, today, forever, but, He always continues to surprise us by making sure to it that you can open up your eyes first thing in the morning. Merry Christmas!
**Only when the Church opens to the newness of God and the strength of the Holy Spirit is she able to become a mother, he observed, noting that whenever she tells herself it is impossible to go on, the Holy Spirit comes to her aid. **
I thought perhaps he was talking about atheists and other unchurched people. But the phrase has “Church” in it. Should it be people?