Mediators of the Divine Mystery
Clergy, by conducting liturgical rites and enriching the faithful with the symbolic language of worship, act as guides in the mysteries through which the divine plan is manifested. They draw their understanding of this plan from traditional theology and sacred texts, participating in rituals that symbolically reflect God’s eternal presence in the world. At the same time, as noted in theological sources, the complete knowledge of God’s profound intentions remains an exclusive prerogative of the Lord Himself—not of the human mind or even angelic contemplation.
For example, one source states, “Thus Christian theology also allows for the direct knowledge of creation by God. With such an allowance, it is easy to explain how God is aware from eternity of the free actions of people...” (source: link txt). This passage emphasizes that God encompasses all times and events, while full knowledge of His master plan is accessible only to God.
Additionally, another text asserts, “God knows everything with precision, in all its depth and fullness. The Lord knows us before we know ourselves. He knows our disposition and even our slightest thought…” (source: link txt). This indicates the boundlessness of God’s omniscience and serves as a reminder that even the efforts of clergy aim only to reflect a part of the great mystery—the hidden Divine will.
Finally, it is worth noting that even angels, blessed with a “contemplation of Divinity” and capable of understanding many of the secrets of God’s wisdom, do not know everything (as hinted at by a corresponding passage from another source). This further confirms that, although clergy participate in conveying and explaining elements of the divine plan through their rites and theological interpretations, full knowledge of God’s intentions remains inaccessible to them or any other of creation.
Thus, clergy engage with the concept of the divine plan by embodying and proclaiming theological truths, yet the complete understanding of God’s intentions remains a mystery available only through His revelation.