Thank you Father for trying to explain this to me. I still think it just makes a circle. I have always wondered at and treasured the impossible thought that Jesus was born for one purpose, to save the whole world, me included. But that first commandment about loving God with our entire being still satifies the “we are made for Him”, wouldn’t you say? Our whole purpose in life has always been that, hasn’t it? He is one of us now, the most wonderful thing ever to happen, bar none. Whether or not God would have come among us if we did’nt fall into sin and evil, really doesn’t matter to me, because what ifs never really matter anyway, do they? If so, how? Nothing can change what has happened, the past is the past. Guess I need to read your article and I look forward to it.
Please note that I’m not trying to disrespect your theory or questions about this conjecture Father, I just don’t see what it has to do with any of us trying to work out our salvation.
God Bless you forever, thank you for your holy ministry!
With regards to what actually happened, in this sense the answer does not matter since we can't change what happened and since Christ did come as Redeemer to fallen mankind.
However, given the present economy of salvation, why the Word became flesh hinges on God's eternal plan and sheds light on the purpose, sin or no sin, of all God's creation. So this is not a hypothetical question as to what might have been had man not sinned, it is a question of why did what happened happen. Why did the Word become flesh--as merely a "band aid" for our sin? Or is there another, prior, higher reason in God's design besides redemption from sin?
If there is another higher reason, then that means that our dignity and divinization is found in the Word made flesh quite apart from any need for Redemption from sin.
At any rate, there are Saints, even Doctors of the Church, on both sides of the question--and Saints and Doctors of the Church who never dealt with the question. So regardless, we should all strive for holiness.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, catechesis means “to reveal in the Person of Christ the whole of God’s eternal design reaching fulfillment in that Person.” (CCC #426). That being the case, pondering God's eternal design in the Incarnation will only enrich our catechesis and make us more effective evangelists.
Pax et bonum.