A Blessed Fall
It is no secret that I am a bit of a weird guy. I mean who else do you know that has preached multiple sermons while wearing Scooby Doo socks? (Not that odd socks are the only thing that makes someone weird. But it is a good place to start!) There are other things that I like that might make me seem odd or just a tad bit peculiar. One is my fascination with words. I love words. I enjoy seeing how words are formed and how their meaning has changed and evolved, or in some cases devolved, over time.
I especially love when someone takes the initiative to create words of their own. Shakespeare was supposed to be particularly gifted in this arena. He is credited with inventing words, such as, bandit, critic, dauntless, lackluster, lonely, suspicious, frugal, impartial, and many more. Though it is largely unknown, and somewhat debatable, as to whether he invented these words or just functioned as a catalyst in their propagation. Truthfully, he may have just made the words of others much more famous than they ever could have done. Another famous author, J.R.R. Tolkien, was also gifted in language and invented the words eucatastrophe and dycatastrophe. (In addition to the fact that he invented his own language.) Each simply adding a bit of insight into the type of catastrophe that is being discussed, namely, whether it is good or bad. In a similar vein, John Milton is credited for the creation of the word pandemonium, which is created by shoving the word “pan”, meaning all, together with the word demon (does it need defined?). The meaning then literally being an all-encompassing outbreak of evil or the demonic.
Are you beginning to see how fascinating words can be? There are so many amazing words and phrases in existence! Out of all these wonderful options, and I promise there are many, many more, perhaps my favorite word, or phrase, is one that I rarely ever use. My favorite phrase is one that finds its origin in Latin, with its earliest recorded use (that I am aware of) being found in Thomas Aquinas’ magnus opus, Summa Theologica (dated between 1265-1274). By now, I am sure that you are wishing that I would hurry up and simply share the word with you. Well, here it is Felix Culpa. Yes. That is probably my favorite phrase. Taken at face value, it probably doesn’t mean much, if anything. However, if you’re familiar with Latin or even perhaps Roman Catholic Theology, you might recognize its meaning. It is another phrase that is created by simply shoving two different, and unrelated, words together. Felix, meaning happy or blessed, is combined with Culpa, meaning fault or fall.
Happy Fault or Blessed Fall. Why, you may ask, is this obscure phrase my favorite? The answer is simple. This phrase is most typically used in relation to the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Yes. They sinned and their sin resulted in the fault or fall of humanity. However, it was in this, their failure, that the opportunity for the revelation of God’s mercy and patience came into view. If Adam and Eve had not fallen, we never would have come to know the forgiveness, mercy, grace, patience, and kindness of our Great God. Nor would there have been the necessity or opportunity for the atonement. Therefore, the incarnation and subsequently, the resurrection, may have never come to be. Thus, though it was a fall, through the great grace of God, it became and is, a blessed fall.
This is Felix Culpa, par excellence, however, the term can apply more generally to our everyday lives. In Romans 8:28, Paul tells us that, “… all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This includes those things that we are not extremely proud of. Our mistakes, sins, failures, faults, etc. are all still somehow utilized by God to work together for our good. That doesn’t mean that God condones or approves of the fall, only that He sovereignly operates and accomplishes good through it.