The ancient Jews and ancient Greeks approached God through numbers. What can they teach us now?
Click here for five minutes (or less) of assorted wisdom from Father Joseph Fessio, S.J., founder of Ignatius Press in San Francisco.
Father Fessio studied with Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Henri De Lubac before returning to California where he began publishing these theologians and others – including Cardinal Pell, Cardinal Sarah, novelist Michael O’Brien.
Church liberal and popular writer Andrew Greeley, S.J. called Fessio “the most powerful man in the American Church.”
Maybe, I just hope it’s not a necessity or I might be in trouble!
Saint Peter: Welcome, sir! Please solve this for X.
me: Well, um, … how about no ex-wives and no X-rated movies? Am I in?
Is calculus purgatory
or hell?
Long, long ago, we learned all about the role of mathematics in Nature and in the universe, as taught by ancient Jews regarding the Bible, and ancient Greeks. Christianity incorporated much of the ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish civilizations. Very great Greeks, such as Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras and others, taught that all thngs have a mathematical basis. This truth can be found in all of Nature, and in the entire universe. In all fields— Music, art, dance, poetry, sculpture, architecture, interior design, clothing and hair design, cooking, medicine and healing, planting and growing excellent crops, and in all sciences, and even in human relationships, there exist specific mathematical ratios for perfection of beauty, harmony, balance, optimal well-being, etc.– principles used to create the very best, in any field of endeavor. In his “Nicomachean Ethics,” Aristotle explains the mathematical ratios of the development of the Virtues in mankind. There are four Cardinal Virtues– Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude. St. Thomas Aquinas later incorporated all of this ancient, Classical Greek knowledge into Christianity, in his great works. Medieval craftsmen used these principles to build all sorts of wonderful things– including great cathedrals, evoking the exquisite, Divine beauty and holiness of God. We all learned a great deal in studying music, in Music School, from the ancient Greeks, regarding the fascinating mathematical basis of Music, and its development. The great Pythagoras was a genius in the realms of music and mathematics. Mathematics and music are deeply intertwined, in the study of Theory and Harmony, Form and Analysis, Composition– and tuning musical instruments, etc. The ancient Greek modes, which were adopted for use in Gregorian Chant, all have specific mathematical ratios in their foundations, and specific effects on people, and were used for specific purposes, by the ancient Greeks. In the Church, Gregorian Chants in specific modes were used and developed for holy, Divine purposes. I recall priests, long ago, discussing the great Mystery of the Holy Eucharist, and the fascinating possibility of mathematical ratios pertaining to It. All the Sacraments operate upon exact formulas, performed by the priest. Well, there is a gigantic amount of knowledge, on the subject of God and Mathematics!
If anyone is interested, Aristotle’s works, including his famous “Nicomachean Ethics,” as well as the works of Pythagoras in regard to music and mathematics– he made outstanding contributions to music theory– plus, the excellent works of St. Thomas Aquinas, especially his famous “Summa Theologica;” plus, an excellent book, “The Four Cardinal Virtues,” by German philosopher, Josef Pieper, are all fascinating reading. Many courses are offered at universities, on all of this fascinating material. Mathematics plays an important role, in all life.
In Christianity, the Three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity were added to the Four Cardinal Virtues. To learn all of this material well, helps us to become more Christ-like. I think that is wonderful!
In our Catholic Faith, there are a great many examples of the use of mathematics. The Blessed Trinity,
the 4 Sundays (4 weeks) of Advent,
the 3 members of the Holy Family,
the three letters, “J.M.J.” traditionally inscribed by Catholic children at the top of their schoolwork; the 3 Wise Men, the Octave of Christmas, the Circumcision of Jesus at 8 days old; the 40 days of Lent, the Triduum at the end of Holy Week, the 50 days of Easter, the Ascension of the Lord 40 days after His Resurrection, the nine days between Christ’s Ascension and Pentecost– the first Novena– and the Seven Sacraments, the 15 decades of the Rosary (20 decades, with Pope St. John Paul II’s version), the 150 Psalms, the 3 Archangels, the 9 Choirs of Angels, the “Raccolta,” later revised in 1967 by Pope St. Paul VI, with many indulgences attached to reciting certain Catholic prayers a certain number of times, and doing certain penances, pious works, and works of charity; the 30 consecutive Gregorian Masses for the Dead, believed to help a recently-deceased soul, by shortening their possible days of suffering in Purgatory; the repetitions of certain important prayers at Mass, shortened in the Vatican II Mass— the “Confiteor” repeated twice at the beginning of Mass, and said again, before Communion; the “Kyrie,” with 9 total recitations; reciting the word “Sanctus” thrice, during the “Sanctus;” reciting the “Agnus Dei…” thrice; reciting “Domine, non sum dignus.. ” thrice — etc. etc. And the “Litany of the Saints,” which is endless in repetitions!!
That’s not using mathematics; that’s recognizing that things in the Church have quantities. But that’s a banal observation because everything has a quantity as a property.
Might as well say that the Roman Missal having 1,723 pages (or whatever it is) is another example of the use of mathematics in Catholic faith.
The point I was making, is very simple. No need to judge it in any way. Mathematics is involved in everything in life. Some people view repetitions of Catholic prayers as tedious and banal. Others view it as useful, to help you become closer to God. A priest just asked me if I want to place anyone’s name, who might have cancer, in an upcoming Novena to St. Peregrine. Miracles are wonderful, in our Faith, when they ever do occur. Some miracles have occurred, due to Novenas– nine days of prayer.
I read that the Jews, who have a quasi-decimal alphabetic numeral system, using the letters of the Hebrew alphabet– adapted their system from the Greek numerals. What would it be like, to read the Hebrew Bible, from a numerical viewpoint? Fascinating! All of their numbers/letters have a religious meaning, pertaining to God, according to the Jews. The Bible tells us of the exact mathematical requirements for building the Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, and the Ark of the Covenant. There was a warning not to touch the Ark of the Covenant, or you will die! Mathematics has been called “God’s language,” because it can do a better job of explaining the complexities of the universe. Galileo Galilei said, “Mathematics is a language God has written the universe in.”
I have always wondered how the Catholic Church figured out indulgences that are granted– saying specific prayers a specific number of times, for a certain number of days, sometimes along with doing certain pious things (going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion, doing a charitable work, etc.– and praying for the intentions of the Pope. Etc.) to obtain remission of punishments due to temporal sins, already confessed and forgiven. And you are supposed to be in a state of grace, not attached to sin. Etc. Some indulgences are partial, and others are plenary. Catholics were recently offered a plenary indulgence for praying in front of a creche at a Franciscan church, from Dec. 8, 2023–Jan. 2, 2024, in honor of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s presentation of the first creche. Now it is Jan. 4th– too late to get your plenary indulgence, for that. But how is the cut-off date determined– what if someone sought the indulgence, and went and prayed before a Franciscan creche– and the date was Jan. 6th, and they didn’t know it was too late? Would they be denied the indulgence?? I have been told, that if you recite the “Angelus” correctly, with the versicles and prayer at the end– 3x/day— you can obtain 100 days with each recitation, and a plenary indulgence once a month. Most people know, that a plenary indulgence is granted for praying the Rosary together as a family, or in a religious group, or religious community, in a church– etc. You can get a partial indulgence if you pray the Rosary by yourself. It is common for us to seek indulgences not only for ourselves, but for beloved family members who have died– the Holy Souls in Purgatory. We have been taught, that the Poor Souls can help us, by prayer– but they cannot help themselves, so we can and must help them, with our prayers. For many years, I have had a copy of the revised “Handbook of Indulgences,” issued in 1968 by the Holy See. But I have always wondered how they figure all of this out, and if you seek indulgences for loved ones– does it really shorten their time in Purgatory, if that is where they happen to be? And can some lucky souls even be blessed to make it to Heaven, by your seeking of indulgences for them? And what about seeking indulgences before Vatican II? Or in different eras of history? What determines the best benefits you can possibly obtain– and why must it be related to certain eras, with certain popes? Obviously, it is too late on the calendar, to seek the indulgence of praying before a Franciscan creche– but could you still get that indulgence, if you didn’t know the end date on it? I always have wondered about all of this! And there are no days nor nights in Purgatory, only on earth– so, what is the measure, in Purgatory, equivalent to– let’s say– 30 days (one month), 100 days, or 365 days (one year)— that the indulgence grants?? On what are those calculations based?? Not sure if we also should seek indulgences for bad Catholic clerics and bad Catholic political leaders, who are alive, or after they are deceased… Tomorrow, I am going to put these questions to a good priest.
The current Manual for Indulgences was issued in 2006.
They do not do days, months and years anymore.
From wikipedia: Reforms in the 20th century largely abolished the quantification of indulgences, which had been expressed in terms of days or years. These days or years were meant to represent the equivalent of time spent in penance, although it was widely mistaken to mean time spent in Purgatory.
Thanks for your post. Well, I got all my information, today. Apparently, the Vatican revised the Manual of Indulgences in 1999. And the USCCB published an English-language version of this revision, in 2006. Apparently, the quantification of indulgences, expressed in terms of days, months, years, etc., was not related to time reduced in Purgatory, it was related to certain lengths of penances prescribed in the Code of Canon Law. And the Bible also contains some similar information, regarding penances. In the end, of course, it is all in God’s hands. Looks like many people today, are enthusiastically obtaining Plenary Indulgences, by walking the popular Camino de Santiago, in Spain, and completing the requirements of going to Confession, attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion, saying a prayer at the tomb of St. James, reciting the “Apostles’ Creed” and the “Our Father,” and praying for the Pope’s intentions. This famous Pilgrimage is unforgettable, for many, and brings many graces. But I know of several older people, who said that the incense from that enormous, swinging censor– the famous “Botafumeiro”– was very powerful and strong, a little too strong, for some. I have a friend who is a talented artist, and also is a retired art teacher, who painted some beautiful pictures of the Cathedral, and “Botafumeiro.” She and her grown (middle-aged) daughter made the Camino together.
I have a friend– she is now a great-grandma!– who does all she can, for her big family, and daily offers prayers, has Masses said, says her Rosary, and seeks indulgences (etc.) for her beloved, deceased loved ones– especially, for her beloved, deceased husband, and two of her beloved, deceased sons, as well as other loved ones. If a loving mother sought many indulgences for all of her loved ones– let’s say, over many years, that for each loved one, she acquired many graces, and several thousand days of reduction of possible Purgatory time, and lots of remission of punishments for sins– what would that actually mean? Well, I know it would be very helpful for all the souls, no matter what. Surely, it would help cleanse the souls, and prepare the loved ones for Heaven! But it ìs kind of hard to understand. I think most people don’t worry about how it all works.