“This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”158 The Eucharist and the Cross are stumbling blocks. It is the same mystery and it never ceases to be an occasion of division. “Will you also go away?”:159 the Lord’s question echoes through the ages, as a loving invitation to discover that only he has “the words of eternal life”160 and that to receive

The signs of bread and wine become, in a way surpassing understanding, the Body and Blood of Christ; they continue also to signify the goodness of creation. Thus

“Outside the Church there is no salvation” 846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head

“This law of human solidarity and charity,”228 1939 without excluding the rich variety of persons, cultures, and peoples, assures us that all men are truly brethren.

The eighth day.

THE ANGELS

interdependence of creatures.

For almighty God…, because he is supremely good, would never allow any evil whatsoever to exist in his works if he were not so all-powerful and good as to cause good to emerge from evil itself.177

We believe that it proceeds from God’s free will; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, wisdom, and goodness: “For you created all things, and by your will they