WORTHY HEROS

Fr. Edward Oakes

Edward T. Oakes, S.J. was a Jesuit priest who passed away on December 6th, 2013. See ( http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2013/12/edward-t-oakes-sj-an-appreciation) for an introduction to Fr. Oakes. He was instrumental, along with Fr. Richard Neuhaus in piquing my interest in the work of Hans Urs von Balthasar. Oakes' book, Patterns of Redemption, was my intro to Balthasar.

At Wheaton Religious store I happened upon Fr. Oakes' last written work, The Theology of Grace in Six Controversies. Unable to resist the temptation and not withstanding what is to follow, I purchased the book. He liberally quotes Balthasar (which I love) and I find much of what he quotes worth posting to this blog. What follows is an excellent example of the way Balthasar can put into words what we intuitively know, but have not put into words ourselves. 

This is from The Theology of  Karl Barth, by Hans Urs von Balthasar, translated by Edward T. Oakes, Ignatius Press, 1992, p. 375.

"In temptation, we come to appreciate how much of a dead-end sin really is. The sinner might do what he will, choose according to his wishes; he might say Yes, say No, say nothing at all. No matter. Whatever he does will be a contortion if grace (which he can not count on!) does not come to transform everything in him from the very roots. And even though it has been given especially to the saints to stare most intently at this naked truth, something of this insight lies within every Christian conscience. Anyone who truly loves God will taste of this chastisement. It is just that the saints are given to see without veils what the rest of us would just as soon not care to know."

(Oakes, p. 74)

What is it that the saints see more clearly? I offer as an answer a quote later in the chapter in which Fr. Oakes refers to St. Terese of Lixieux.

"After earth's exile, I hope to go and enjoy you in my homeland ( patrie), but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven. I want to work for Your love alone with the one purpose of pleasing You, consoling your Sacred Heart, and saving souls who will love you eternally. In the evening of this life, I shall appear before You with empty hands, for I do not ask You, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is stained in Your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in Your own justice and to receive from Your love the eternal possession of yourself. I want no other Throne, no other Crown, but You, my Beloved!"

(Oakes, p.88, from St. Terese's autobiography)