Q. What is the purpose of incarnation? Why did God become man?
A. According to Scripture, well summarized in the Creed, God became man "for us men and for our salvation". i.e. God became man to save us from sin.
Q. As in, why not just forgive us from heaven? What kind of "loving father" would send his son to such suffering and death as Christ was sent to endure on Calvary?
A. Because even though God could snap his fingers from heaven and we're forgiven, it is more selfless and more loving to "get his hands dirty". True, perfect love (between God and man, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between friends) doesn't do the bare minimum; it does the MOST it can BECAUSE IT CAN. Not for reasons of convenience or efficiency or profit. Love is not a business; that's prostitution. God is not a prostitute.
Aquinas adds that the Incarnation was fitting because:
a. it makes our FAITH easier (it's easier to believe a person you can see and touch than one you can't)
b. our HOPE more certain (we must be worth something and our salvation must be possible if God has gone through all this trouble) and
c. our CHARITY more spontaneous (if we can't take the initiative to love God, at least now we can respond to his love for us).
Happy St. Stephen's Day!
26thDecember 2015