58 Chapter 4
THE EUCHARISTIC NATURE OF REALITY
moment, beginning to understand what Fr. Keefe's argument is not, is a
very good way to begin to understand what it is. Right now, then,
concentrate on getting clearer what it is not! So:
What is the nature of reality?
It is Eucharistic
- not metaphorically, but as fact ex opere operato (not because of our
intentions, desires, deeds, or memories, but in itself).
Reality is thus a free order
- not a necessary structure,
in time
- not the time-less
that is inexhaustibly meaning-full and intelligible
- not arbitrary.
Reality is sacramental through and through, and from
its very beginning.
Thus, Nature is Grace
- and the "un-graced" "pure" Nature of the tradition, the time-less
place where we stand to understand, is, literally, a pagan god, a no-
thing, at once defeated and rejected by the New Covenant itself.
Reality is Tri - une
- it is neither a totalitarian One nor unrelated Ones in motion.
Reality is thus covenantal -- nuptial, marital
- the surprise, in the One Sacrifice that is the font of all surprise, of
completely free, anti-necessary, but irrevocable commitment, the
surprise of free order, free relation, free intelligibility, which is grace,
which is love.
Perhaps these statements remain mostly gibberish to you, if pious
gibberish, despite all the work you did in reading these chapters.
However, if the argument of Covenantal Theology really does require
one to think like a child, but not childishly, at least it may be clearer to
N.B. This is an html-ized copy of a page from the pdf file, The Knucklehead's Guide to Covenantal Theology.