The most excellent knowledge that man can have is the knowledge of God. Our own natural reason tells us that there must be a Supreme Being who created the entire universe. He alone is existence; all other things are given existence by Him. With our natural reason we can know also that the Creator possesses all possible perfections or all good qualities. He is the cause of all perfection in creatures; hence, the perfections of all created things must be in Him in an infinitely superior manner to what they are in creatures.
In order that men may know Him and His perfections more surely and more profoundly, God has given us divine revelations, which furnish us with clearer knowledge about His nature than reason could provide, and also manifest some truths about Him which natural reason could never learn by its own efforts. The first of God's revelations for the human race were given to Adam and Eve, and God continued to make such revelations until the death of the last apostle, St. John. Since that time there have been no new revelations for all mankind, although there have been private revelations for certain individuals. Moreover there has been a growth of public revelation in the sense that, as time went on, men have gradually come to a deeper and clearer knowledge of the truths which God revealed of old. Thus it was only after hundreds of years that Catholics clearly perceived that the doctrine of Mary's Immaculate Conception is contained in revelation. The revelations given by God for the human race are contained in Sacred Scripture, or the Bible which is the written word of God, and in divine Tradition, which is the unwritten word of God, since it was handed down, without being written, by those who received it from God, namely the apostles.
The various perfections of God are mentioned in many passages of Scripture. Catholics should try to familiarize themselves with some of the principal texts which speak of God and of His infinite perfections. Moreover, the prayers employed or recommended by the Church abound with references to God and to His perfections. The liturgy of the Mass frequently speaks of the wonderful qualities of the Most High.
Some of God's perfections have a special relation to ourselves. For example, when we think of God's goodness we are inspired to love Him, not only because He is good to us but also because He is allgood in Himself. Thus we make an act of divine charity, the most excellent of the virtues. Again, the truth that God is allpresent and hence always near us, should help us to avoid sin. The realization that God is allknowing should remind us that He is aware of even our most secret thoughts and desires. The thought of His providence, of His loving care over us to help us to attain everlasting happiness, should inspire us to have unbounded confidence in Him. In trials and temptations we should remember that we are not alone; our loving Father is always near us.
RESOLUTION: Acquire the habit of remembering frequently that God is at your side and of concentrating briefly on one of His infinite perfections. Then in your heart make an act of adoration or of love.