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LIFE OUT OF DEATH E
Meditations on the Paschal Mystery
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Death and dying are inseparably linked with
life. They are self-evident and at the same time
cannot be grasped by reason alone—they are ordinary,
and yet so incredible. In these meditations,
the acclaimed theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar
investigates this great mystery. He asks about the
contradiction, inherent in all men, of wishing to
achieve something “imperishable in transitoriness”
and gives an answer culled from the Scriptures and
from the Church Fathers.
In looking at this contradiction that appears to
be irreconcilable from a purely human perspective,
Balthasar tries to find something in the human
existence that the Christian solution can take up,
for if there was nothing, one would not see how
Christianity could connect to our existence at all.
This starting-point becomes fully visible and effective
only when the Christian interpretation itself
becomes evident, otherwise it remains open to
dangerous misinterpretations.
The emphasis lies in the word “mystery”. The
reader must meditate on these profound ideas
which are demanding both in language and contents—then
the reading will inspire him with
insights and prospects that will, while not resolving
the paradox “that everything earthly is inscribed
on the sand of transitoriness”, will anchor it in the
Christian faith, which claims that man is eternal
and that God himself became man in the person
of Jesus Christ to help us attain to that eternal life.
Hans Urs von Balthasar is widely considered one
of the greatest theologians of the twentieth century.
He wrote over 60 works of theology, spirituality and
philosophy, including his great trilogy: the 7 volume
work The Glory of the Lord, the 5 volume work Theo-
Drama, and the 3 volume work Theo-Logic. His most
famous individual works include Prayer, Heart of the
World, Mysterium Paschale and Cosmic Liturgy.
LOOD-P . . . Sewn Softcover, 90 pp, $11.95
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NEW SPRING BOOKS
WE HAVE FOUND MERCY E
The Mystery of God’s Merciful Love
Christoph Cardinal Schönborn
Sister Faustina Kowalska, the Polish nun who
had mystical encounters with the merciful
Christ in the early 20th century, was canonized a
saint by Pope John Paul II. The Pope also declared
the fi rst Sunday after Easter to be Divine Mercy
Sunday, and it was during the vigil Mass of this
feast that the Holy Father received his last Holy
Communion and drew his last breath.
The message of Divine Mercy as communicated
through Sister Faustina is both a starting point and
a recurring theme for Cardinal Schönborn’s discussion
of God’s merciful love. The Archbishop of
Vienna explores the presence of God’s great mercy
in the Scriptures, Tradition, the life of Christ, and
the sacraments and works of the Church, while
raising important questions along the way, such
as, “What is the relationship between mercy and
justice?”
“Mercy is the central nucleus of the Gospel message.
In our time humanity needs a strong proclamation
and witness of God’s mercy . . . Go forth and be witnesses
of God’s mercy, a source of hope for every
person and for the whole world.”
— POPE BENEDICT XVI
7
Christoph Cardinal Schönborn is the Archbishop of
Vienna. The renowned theologian was the primary
editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Born in
1945, the Dominican was a student of Joseph Ratzinger,
now Pope Benedict XVI. He has written numerous
books and articles on faith, including Chance
or Purpose?, a study of the theory of evolution and
the relationship between faith and science.
WFM-P . . . 156 pp, Sewn Softcover, $14.95
—ALSO BY CARDINAL SCHÖNBORN—
Chance or Purpose EA
CHAPUR-H . . .184 pp, Sewn Hardcover, $19.95 $13.95
Jesus, the Divine Physician
JDP-P . . . 300 pp, Sewn Softcover, $16.95
Behold, God’s Son
BGS-P . . . 230 pp, Sewn Softcover, $16.95
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