Launch of "Christ, My Brother"
The Honourable Murray Gleeson, A.C.
Chief Justice of Australia

My friend, Tom Hughes, and I are both old enough to remember when Mass had two Gospels.

The first changed from Sunday to Sunday. The second, or Last Gospel, was always the same. It was taken from the prologue to St John's Gospel and commenced:

"In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God."

Towards the end of this Gospel there came a text at which the celebrant and the congregation would all genuflect. the text was:

"And the Word was made of flesh,
and dwelt amongst us."

It would be possible to spend a lifetime exploring the implications of belief in the proposition that the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. indeed, the very concept of "belief" in relation to a proposition or that character itself provides foos for thought.

Many of us present this evening, in our formative years, had contact, not so much with the Church Militant or the Church Triumphant, but with what might be called the Church Didactic.

Most people I know are not frightfully wicked. Most of them do not get the opportunity, and even if they did, would probably lack the energy. But our principal frailties, including lack of charity, indifference to religious matters and pre-occupation with other affairs, are perfectly understood and forgiven.

I congratulate Father Costello on his splendid work. He is a most accomplished communicator. His book is written with simplicity and lucidity.

Father Costello's book, which has much in common with the Sistine restoration, will help many people to feel the finger of God.

It is an honour to launch it.

I have not had the pleasure of visiting the Sistine chapel since its artworks were restored to their original freshness and beauty. on the occasions when I have been there the works had to be viewed, to the extent possible, through a good deal of scaffolding, and, to the extent to which they could be seen, were overlain by the accretions of the centuries. Recently, I believe, they have been cleaned and restored splendidly.

Father Costello's book has much in common with the restoration, to its original vitality, beauty and freshness, of a great work of art.
The purpose of the book is to explore the implications of the belief, common to all Christians, that the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. The theme of the book is that this is a proposition which should give us enormous encouragement and consolation.

Father Costello observes that the Church has been more successful at imparting instruction in what are regarded as Christian values than in communicating the implications for human kind of the Incarnation. His point, which is simply and clearly stated, and illustrated in a variety of ways, is that belief in this seemingly incredible fact carries with it, necessarily, a belief that human nature was infinitely dignified by the Creator.


 

Available from Fr. Emmet Costello
St.Marys Church

264 Miller St.
North Sydney 2060
Price. $10

(02) 8918 4115

Used with permission from St Paul's Publishing © 1999