Popular apologist Scott Hahn, author of dozens of books including Rome Sweet Home, gave the final presentation Monday for this year’s Archbishop’s Lecture Series.
Not pictured: The pounds of cheese and gallons of wine enjoyed by the archdiocese before the talk.
The response of Denver Catholics was overwhelmingly supportive of his visit. You can listen to Hahn’s talk here.
Hahn opened by discussing mercy and relating it to God’s diving Fatherhood. He said that theologians such as Thomas Aquinas defined mercy as God’s greatest attribute. Referring to the Eucharist, Hahn said, “Transubstantiation is relatively easy for God compared to transforming sinners like me into saints.”
“Mercy is the love that stoops down to find us no matter how low he has to go to find us,” Hahn said. “Father is not just a noun; it’s a verb. To father for God is an eternal action.”
Hahn related one of his own experiences as a father to God’s mercy. He was holding his daughter’s hand as they crossed a busy street. A truck blew through a red light and rushed toward them. His daughter, in her fright, let go of Hahn’s hand. He held hers so tightly it hurt and pulled her to safety. He said this is similar to the reason why God established covenants in the Old Testament. “God binds himself to us before he allows us to bind ourselves to him, because he knows we will let go. The wrath of God is not opposite of the love of God,” Hahn said.
Hahn concluded his talk by thanking Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila for inviting him, and Cardinal J. Francis Stafford for attending. He reminded the audience that God’s fatherhood is central to the Christian identity, as people who follow the Son of God.
“That’s the way you follow Jesus: Right to the father,” Hahn said.
