Dear Brothers and Sisters, Today we consider the figure of John Scotus Erigena,
an influential Christian thinker of the Carolingian period. Erigena’s interest in
Eastern patristic theology, especially that of Dionysius, led him to study the latter’s
works thoroughly and to translate them into Latin. According to Erigena, a believer
is to seek the truth until he or she reaches a silent adoration of God in whose nature
we participate by theosis, or “divinization”.Since this experience
can never be expressed fully in words, his theology proceeds by apophasis –
that is, by asserting primarily what God is not. Yet he also holds that reason is
indispensable in the human quest for God. Sacred Scripture, in fact, allows man to
recall the truth which was impressed upon his soul at the beginning of time, but which
had been forgotten through original sin. By reading the Bible, we can uncover the
secrets of a pure, authentic contemplation of God. Let us therefore pursue the path
of continual conversion in order to mine the riches of God’s word in our daily prayer
and meditation.
I warmly greet all the English-speaking visitors present
today. In a special way, I welcome seminarians from the United States participating
in The Rome Experience Program, as well as pilgrims from the Archdiocese of
Karachi in Pakistan. God bless you all!