87. The Manifestation of Christ's Birth to Angels and Stars
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Lecture Notes
Main Topics #
- Modes of Manifestation: Whether Christ’s nativity should be revealed through angels, through a star, or through both
- Audience Adaptation: How divine revelation accommodates itself to the capacities and customs of different peoples
- Sensible vs. Spiritual Signs: The relationship between external sensible apparitions and interior spiritual instinct
- Divine Wisdom and Order: God’s ordering of the manner, time, and mode of revelation according to providential wisdom
- The Nature of Signs: How creatures (angels, stars) can manifest divine realities while preserving the mystery of faith
Key Arguments #
Against Manifestation Through Angels #
- Angels are spiritual/immaterial substances, but Christ’s birth was according to the flesh (material)
- Therefore, it seems inappropriate for angels to manifest a fleshly birth
- The just (Simeon and Anna) were closer to angels than shepherds, yet angels did not appear to them
- Therefore, manifestation through angels to shepherds seems unsuitable
Against Manifestation Through a Star #
- This could occasion error among those who believe stars determine human births (fatalistic astrology)
- A sign must be certain to make something known; a star is not a certain sign of Christ’s birth
- Unusual celestial phenomena alone cannot reliably indicate specific events
Thomas’s Resolution #
The Principle of Accommodation: Just as knowledge through syllogism comes from things already known, manifestation through signs must proceed from things familiar to those to whom something is made known.
Different Audiences Require Different Signs:
- To the Just (Simeon and Anna): Interior instinct of the Holy Spirit alone was sufficient because they were perfected in virtue and accustomed to divine instruction through inward illumination
- To Shepherds (Jews): Sensible apparition of angels because Jews were accustomed to receive divine answers through angels and had received the Law through angelic disposition (Acts 7)
- To the Magi (Gentiles/Astronomers): A star because Gentiles, especially astronomers, were accustomed to observing and learning from celestial bodies
Appropriateness to the Nature of What Is Signified: Since Christ’s birth is not merely earthly but celestial (divine), it is suitably revealed through celestial signs. As Augustine says in his Sermon on the Epiphany: “Angels inhabit the heavens, and stars adorn them, and by both the heavens narrate the glory of God.”
The Three Patristic Reasons #
From Chrysostom: The Lord wished to call them through things customary to them, condescending to their nature (divine condescension/accommodation)
From Gregory: To Jews, as creatures using reason, a rational substance (angel) ought to preach. To Gentiles who do not know how to use reason to know God, not vocal sounds but signs should be given. As the Lord speaking through preachers announces to Gentiles, so to those not yet speaking (infants, the uneducated in faith), the mute elements preached—the star itself becomes a mute preacher
From Augustine: God’s promise to Abraham was of celestial offspring through faith. Therefore, the Gentiles, designated in the stars, are aroused by the rising of a new star to come to Christ, becoming the seed of Abraham spiritually
Important Definitions #
Inward Instinct of the Holy Spirit (instinctus internus Spiritus Sancti): Interior illumination given to the just and perfected, requiring no external sensible signs
Sensible Apparition (apparitio sensibilis): Visible, external manifestation suited to those given over to bodily things and requiring external signs
Celestial Signs: Signs appropriate to the transcendent nature of what is signified; since Christ’s birth is not purely earthly but partakes of the divine and celestial, celestial signs are fitting
De Novo Creata: A star newly created (not one of the fixed stars) that exhibits properties impossible for ordinary celestial bodies
Per Se / Per Accidens: Per se (in itself/by itself) is always more potent and prior to per accidens (through another); yet in the order of manifestation, the imperfect (another making known) comes before the perfect (self-manifestation)
Examples & Illustrations #
The Unique Properties of the Star #
Thomas identifies characteristics proving this was not an ordinary celestial body:
- Direction: Moved from east to west (contrary to stars’ normal motion)
- Visibility: Appeared both at night and in daylight (impossible for ordinary stars)
- Intermittence: Appeared and disappeared at will; hidden when entering Jerusalem, shown again when departing (implying divine control)
- Responsive Motion: Moved when the Magi needed to travel, stood still when they needed to stop (like the pillar of cloud in the desert)
- Descent: Lowered itself to point out the specific house where the child lay
The Bishop and Augustine #
Berquist illustrates the principle of readiness through Augustine’s Confessions: When Monica wished a bishop to speak to Augustine, the bishop refused, saying “He’s not ready yet.” There must be a certain facility and spiritual preparation before one can receive divine instruction. This parallels why different signs suited different peoples—each needed to be addressed according to their condition.
The Missionary Priest’s Discernment #
A missionary priest, when would-be converts approached baptism, would ask: “If you stopped now and walked away, do you think you could save your soul?” If they answered “yes,” he would say, “You’re not ready to be Catholic. You must be convinced this is the only way.” This illustrates the requirement of faith—manifestation must dispose toward genuine conversion, not mere external knowledge.
Water into Wine as Preparation for Eucharistic Faith #
Berquist reflects on why Christ’s first miracle (water into wine) was significant not only to convince the apostles but to prepare them for later Eucharistic faith. In the wine miracle, He changed the substance while changing the accidents visibly—allowing them to see the miracle occurred. In the Eucharist, He changes the substance but keeps the accidents of wine—they don’t see the blood. The first miracle thus disposes them to believe the greater mystery later.
Questions Addressed #
Why Manifestation Through Creatures Rather Than Christ Himself? #
Problem: The cause per se is always more potent than that which acts through another (Aristotle). Why didn’t Christ manifest His own nativity directly?
Answer: Direct self-manifestation by Christ would prejudice faith in His humanity—observers might dismiss His fleshly nature as illusory (phantasm). By appearing as an ordinary, seemingly helpless infant while creatures revealed His divinity, both natures are honored. Additionally, the order of progression from imperfect to perfect knowledge is natural: others first make Him known through signs, then He progressively manifests Himself through His deeds and words.
Why Not Through the Magi or Direct Prophecy? #
Thomas cites Augustine on how the Magi received illumination: They either heard from angels (by some revelation/warning) that the star signified Christ’s birth, or by a divine indication they were led to Jerusalem. Leo Papa adds: Apart from the outward form attracting their bodily eyes, a more brilliant enlightenment illumined their minds with the light of faith. So both spiritual illumination and sensible sign worked together.
Is This Occasioning Error About Astrological Determinism? #
Berquist notes that while Shakespeare and others reference stars influencing human affairs, Thomas’s response is that God uses signs familiar to people without endorsing their false beliefs. The Magi were “astronomers” (not necessarily “astrologers” in the modern sense) accustomed to observing heavens; God accommodates to their capacity while the spiritual illumination prevents them from lapsing into pagan determinism.
Notable Quotes #
“The works of God are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32, cited by Thomas as framework for why manifestation must be through suitable signs)
“Too soon I get old, too late I get smart” (Folk saying Berquist’s father used; illustrates human tardiness in acquiring wisdom)
“You’re old before your time… You’re old before you’re wise” (King Lear, via Berquist, on aging without wisdom)
“Angels inhabit the heavens, and stars adorn them. And by both, therefore, the heavens narrate the glory of God” (Augustine, Sermon on the Epiphany)
“Through things that were customary to them, right, the Lord wished to call them, right, as it were condescending to them” (Chrysostom, cited by Thomas on divine accommodation)
“It’s a gift” (Fr. Groschel’s response, via Berquist, to atheists asking how to understand Eucharistic faith—a simple answer that stops objections)
“To the Gentile song, who use, who do not know how to use reason, right, to know God, not to, what, voice, vocal sounds, speech, but to signs, they are, what, let” (Gregory, on how mute elements preach to those unable to hear rational argument)
Connections to Broader Themes #
Scripture and Metaphor: Berquist reflects on why Scripture uses metaphors: because Scripture deals with realities above our mind, metaphor brings them down to our level. This differs from poetry, which elevates mundane realities. Similarly, God uses sensible signs not because He lacks power but because He accommodates Himself to human capacity.
Order and Intelligibility: Following Aristotle, great works (tragedy, epic) have beginning, middle, and end—an order that gives intelligibility. A day of scattered activities (taking out bottles, reading physics, saying prayers, eating oranges) has no coherence. But divine revelation, like great art, exhibits order and meaning.
Sacramental Principle: The discussion of how God adapts signs to different audiences parallels sacramental theology: material signs (water, oil, bread, wine) convey spiritual realities to embodied creatures who know God through sensible experience.
Patristic Authority: Berquist notes that Thomas draws from Chrysostom, Gregory, and Augustine (the three main reasons given), illustrating his earlier point that Thomas seems to have “inherited the mind of the Fathers”—he synthesizes their wisdom rather than being original.
Pastoral and Spiritual Insights #
The lecture touches on pastoral sensitivity: Different people come to faith through different paths. Some, like the just (Simeon, Anna), are perfected in prayer and interior recollection. Others, like shepherds and Magi, need external signs and events. The missionary priest’s discernment about readiness, the bishop’s refusal to speak before Augustine was prepared, all illustrate that divine revelation operates not through coercion but through patient accommodation to human freedom and capacity.