God: Sole Satisfier
Encyclopedia
Sole Satisfier is a term in Christian theology
which refers to God as the only one who can satisfy human beings. The terminology is based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas
, who said: "God alone satisfies." (Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed 1) This is based on the Bible
: "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Gospel of Matthew
11: 28); "Only God is good." (Gospel of Luke
18:19) Aquinas in his philosophy
also discussed summum bonum
, the greatest good.
considers as God says: "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me: for I am gentle and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light." (Mt 11: 28-30)
Jesus Christ also said: "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well. (Lk 12:27-31)
In his discussion with a young man, he also said: "Only God is good." (Luke 18:19)
is that the faculties of man which makes him really human are the intellect and will. These two faculties, which distinguishes him from animals, are "open to the infinite."
This means that with his intellect or mind, man can always "know more" i.e. he can keep on receiving new information, new meaning without ever filling up. He can also "love
more", i.e. he can always expand the quantity of the people and things he loves, and he can also improve the quality of that love. Thus only the Infinite God can satisfy the human spirit that is open to the infinite.
St. Thomas in Summa contra Gentiles
states: "the will's desire is satisfied by the divine good alone as its last end."
. He alone IS. He is Subsistent Being from whom all the other beings get their existence and their force. Thus compared to him the other beings are nothing. Compared to God who is All Goodness, his creatures as "no good." And in Metaphysics, we are told that Being = Goodness, and that "good" means "that which everything desires." Thus God, who is Goodness Itself and the source of all goodness, is the only one which can satisfy man's desires.
Peter Kreeft
, a Christian philosopher who follows the steps of Thomas Aquinas, says that only God wins in the list of Candidates for the Greatest Good. He lists down other candidates which people seek: pleasure, power, money, honor, virtue, wisdom. And they all pale in comparison with God because they are temporary, limited, and many are means to an end and not the end itself.
This is also based on the experience of people: materials things do not satisfy completely and people are not easily satiated with them. Some management literature says:
, a comprehensive summation or compendium of theology.
was a Mystic
and is a Doctor of the Church
. God as the Sole Satisfier of human longing is one of the central teachings of the Discalced Carmelite reform that she and St. John of the Cross
collaborated upon in the 16th century.
who preached about the universal call to holiness
.
is the result of four centuries of scholarship and teaching after the Catechism of Trent of the 16th Century.
stressed that "The issue is the primacy of God." He said that God is "the reality without which nothing else can be good... If man's heart is not good, then nothing else can turn out good either. And the goodness of the human heart can ultimately come only from the One who is goodness, who is the Good itself."
Benedict XVI also asked rhetorically: "What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God. ....He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny: faith, hope, and love.
The importance of "faith, hope and love" was already emphasized by the then Cardinal Ratzinger in his book God and the World. There he quotes Sor Lucia on what is the real message of Fatima. Sor Lucia told him to tell the world this: Don't take notice of the other things related to the Fatima story. The only message that is important is "faith, hope and love."
Benedict's first two encyclicals are on love and hope.
(God) as AS-SAMAD or The Satisfier of all needs: "He is ever-present, knowing your needs before you do and satisfying them in the way they should be satisfied." http://members.tripod.com/~yubacity_mosque/Divine-2
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
which refers to God as the only one who can satisfy human beings. The terminology is based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
, who said: "God alone satisfies." (Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed 1) This is based on the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
: "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
11: 28); "Only God is good." (Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
18:19) Aquinas in his philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
also discussed summum bonum
Summum bonum
Summum bonum is an expression used in philosophy, particularly in medieval philosophy and in the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, to describe the ultimate importance, the singular and most ultimate end which human beings ought to pursue. The summum bonum is generally thought of as being an end in...
, the greatest good.
Biblical basis
Jesus Christ whom Christian theologyChristian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
considers as God says: "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me: for I am gentle and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light." (Mt 11: 28-30)
Jesus Christ also said: "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well. (Lk 12:27-31)
In his discussion with a young man, he also said: "Only God is good." (Luke 18:19)
On the part of man
According to Christian philosophy, the basis of the doctrine that only God satisfies the human soulSoul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
is that the faculties of man which makes him really human are the intellect and will. These two faculties, which distinguishes him from animals, are "open to the infinite."
This means that with his intellect or mind, man can always "know more" i.e. he can keep on receiving new information, new meaning without ever filling up. He can also "love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
more", i.e. he can always expand the quantity of the people and things he loves, and he can also improve the quality of that love. Thus only the Infinite God can satisfy the human spirit that is open to the infinite.
St. Thomas in Summa contra Gentiles
Summa contra Gentiles
The Summa contra Gentiles by St. Thomas Aquinas has traditionally been dated to 1264, though more recent scholarship places it towards the end of Thomas’ life, 1270-73 . The work has occasioned much debate as to its purpose, its intended audience and its relationship to his other works...
states: "the will's desire is satisfied by the divine good alone as its last end."
On the part of God
Christian theology says that God is I AM WHO AMI Am that I Am
I Am that I Am is a common English translation of the response God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name . It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah...
. He alone IS. He is Subsistent Being from whom all the other beings get their existence and their force. Thus compared to him the other beings are nothing. Compared to God who is All Goodness, his creatures as "no good." And in Metaphysics, we are told that Being = Goodness, and that "good" means "that which everything desires." Thus God, who is Goodness Itself and the source of all goodness, is the only one which can satisfy man's desires.
Peter Kreeft
Peter Kreeft
Peter John Kreeft, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and The King's College, and author of numerous books as well as a popular writer on philosophy, Christian theology, and specifically Catholic apologetics. He also formulated together with Ronald K. Tacelli, SJ, "Twenty...
, a Christian philosopher who follows the steps of Thomas Aquinas, says that only God wins in the list of Candidates for the Greatest Good. He lists down other candidates which people seek: pleasure, power, money, honor, virtue, wisdom. And they all pale in comparison with God because they are temporary, limited, and many are means to an end and not the end itself.
This is also based on the experience of people: materials things do not satisfy completely and people are not easily satiated with them. Some management literature says:
- Salary is no longer the sole satisfier, nor the key to employee loyalty. Instead, loyalty is tied to the feelings workers get from their workplaces, and the values and ethics that are transmitted from the leadership. Just like Tom Cruise's character in the movie Jerry McGuire, employees are seeking deeper meaning and inspiration from their work, evaluating their companies' ethics and searching for their own. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,272201-2,00.html
Cyprian
Cyprian is one of the Fathers of the Church.- To those who seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, he has promised to give all else besides. Since everything indeed belongs to God, he who possesses God wants for nothing, if he himself is not found wanting before God. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2830.htm
Augustine
Augustine is the foremost Western Father of the Church. In modern language, he was, before his conversion to Christianity, considered a playboy and a cafeteria believer, choosing whatever faith suited him. These did not satisfy him thus he wrote one of his most famous words:- You have made us, O Lord, for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. (Confessions of St. Augustine, 1)
- We all want to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated. How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1718.htm
Thomas Aquinas
Aquinas wrote the Summa TheologiaeSumma Theologica
The Summa Theologiæ is the best-known work of Thomas Aquinas , and although unfinished, "one of the classics of the history of philosophy and one of the most influential works of Western literature." It is intended as a manual for beginners in theology and a compendium of all of the main...
, a comprehensive summation or compendium of theology.
- Eternal life is the perfect fulfillment of desire, because each of the blessed will have more than he desired or hoped for. In this life, no one can fulfill his desires, nor can any creature satisfy a man’s craving. God alone satisfies and infinitely surpasses man’s desires, which therefore can never rest except in God.
Teresa of Avila
Teresa of AvilaTeresa of Ávila
Saint Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer...
was a Mystic
Mystical theology
Mystical theology is a branch of theology which treats of acts and experiences or states of the soul which cannot be produced by human effort.-Catholic tradition:...
and is a Doctor of the Church
Doctor of the Church
Doctor of the Church is a title given by a variety of Christian churches to individuals whom they recognize as having been of particular importance, particularly regarding their contribution to theology or doctrine.-Catholic Church:In the Catholic Church, this name is given to a saint from whose...
. God as the Sole Satisfier of human longing is one of the central teachings of the Discalced Carmelite reform that she and St. John of the Cross
John of the Cross
John of the Cross , born Juan de Yepes Álvarez, was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystic, Catholic saint, Carmelite friar and priest, born at Fontiveros, Old Castile....
collaborated upon in the 16th century.
- Let nothing trouble you
- Let nothing frighten you
- Everything passes
- God never changes
- Patience
- Obtains all
- Whoever has God
- Wants for nothing
- God alone is enough. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/227.htm
Josemaria
Josemaria is the founder of Opus DeiOpus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
who preached about the universal call to holiness
Universal call to holiness
Universal Call to Holiness and Apostolate is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that all people are called to be holy. This Church teaching states that all within the church should live holy lives....
.
- After twenty centuries, we have to proclaim with complete conviction that the spirit of Christ has not lost its redemptive force, which alone can satisfy the desires of the human heart. Begin by feeding that truth into your own heart, which will be perpetually restless, as Saint Augustine wrote, until it rests entirely in God. http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/furrow/point/796
- Once we recognise the insignificant and contingent nature of our earthly endeavours, the way is then open for true hope, a hope which upgrades all human work and turns it into a meeting point with God. ... Perhaps there is no greater tragedy for man than the sense of disillusionment he suffers when he has corrupted or falsified his hope, by placing it in something other than the one Love which satisfies without ever satiating. http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/friends_of_god/point/208
- 'Stay with us; it is towards evening, and it is far on in the day,' night is coming on. That's just like us. Always short on daring, perhaps because we are insincere, or because we feel embarrassed. Deep down, what we are really thinking is: 'Stay with us, because our souls are shrouded in darkness and You alone are the light. You alone can satisfy this longing that consumes us.' For 'we know full well which among all things fair and honourable is the best: to possess God for ever.' http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/friends_of_god/point/314
Catechism
The Catechism of the Catholic ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
is the result of four centuries of scholarship and teaching after the Catechism of Trent of the 16th Century.
- The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1718.htm
- The beatitude we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement - however beneficial it may be - such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love.
Benedict XVI
In his book, Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
stressed that "The issue is the primacy of God." He said that God is "the reality without which nothing else can be good... If man's heart is not good, then nothing else can turn out good either. And the goodness of the human heart can ultimately come only from the One who is goodness, who is the Good itself."
Benedict XVI also asked rhetorically: "What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God. ....He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny: faith, hope, and love.
The importance of "faith, hope and love" was already emphasized by the then Cardinal Ratzinger in his book God and the World. There he quotes Sor Lucia on what is the real message of Fatima. Sor Lucia told him to tell the world this: Don't take notice of the other things related to the Fatima story. The only message that is important is "faith, hope and love."
Benedict's first two encyclicals are on love and hope.
Other religions
Islam also refers to AllahAllah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
(God) as AS-SAMAD or The Satisfier of all needs: "He is ever-present, knowing your needs before you do and satisfying them in the way they should be satisfied." http://members.tripod.com/~yubacity_mosque/Divine-2
See also
- Eastern Catholicism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Fall of man
- Foolishness for Christ
- HermitHermitA hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
- HesychasmHesychasmHesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches, such as the Byzantine Rite, practised by the Hesychast Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches,...
- KenosisKenosisIn Christian theology, Kenosis In Christian theology, Kenosis In Christian theology, Kenosis (from the Greek word for emptiness (kénōsis) is the 'self-emptying' of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God's divine will....
- TheosisTheosisIn Christian theology, divinization, deification, making divine or theosis is the transforming effect of divine grace. This concept of salvation is historical and fundamental for Christian understanding that is prominent in the Eastern Orthodox Church and also in the Catholic Church, and is a...