DIVINE PERFECTIONS ARE ONLY ONE SINGLE INFINITE PERFECTION
The sun is red, we say at sunrise, soon after it becomes dark or hollow and deep. At sunset, it is pale, colourless, fading, which is a sign of rain. Theotimus, the sun is neither red nor dark, neither pale nor grey, nor green. It has only its bright, perennial light for its whole colour. Except for a miracle, it remains unchangeable. But we speak [of colours] as above because it appears to us as such according to the variety of vapours intervening between the sun and our eyes. They make it appear to us in different ways.
In the same way, we usually speak of God not so much as he is in himself but according to what he does by means of which we contemplate him. In keeping with the reflections we make, we call him differently as if he had a variety of excellences and perfections. If we see him punishing the wicked, we call him just. If he frees the sinner from his wretchedness, we proclaim him merciful. As he has created everything and had done many miracles, we term him all powerful. Since he keeps his promises exactly, we call him truthful. As he does everything in a very orderly manner, we declare him wise. Thus in keeping with the variety of his works, we attribute to him a great multiplicity of perfections.
All the same, in God, there is neither any variety nor any difference of perfections. Thus God in himself is a single, very simple and utterly unique perfection. For, all that is in him is only himself. We attribute to him a great variety of perfections. They are there in him in a very simple and very pure unity. Similarly, the sun has none of the colours we attribute to it. Instead, it has only a clear light which is above all colours and makes all the colours visible. So too, in God, there is none of the perfections we imagine but only a very clear, pure excellence. It transcends all perfection and gives perfection to all that is perfect.
It is not in the power of any creature, human or angelic, to express perfectly this supreme excellence. It contains and surpasses all perfections in its unique unity. It is said in the book of Revelation that Our Lord has a name which no one knows but himself (19:12). This is because he alone knows perfectly his infinite perfection. So he alone can express it by an appropriate name. The early theologians said that the only true theologian is God since no one can know fully the infinite greatness of divine perfection. Consequently, no one can express it in words except God himself. It was for this reason that God replying through an angel to the father of Samson who asked his name said: Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful (Judg 13:17-18). It is as if he wished to say: “My name may be marvelled at. But it cannot be pronounced by creatures. It is to be adored. But it can be understood only by me. I alone can pronounce my proper name by which truly and simply I express my excellence." Our human spirit is too weak to form a concept capable of representing such an immeasurable excellence. Our mind cannot think of such excellence encompassing in its very simple and very unique perfection distinctly and perfectly all other perfections in a manner infinitely excellent and eminent. We are forced to speak of God using a variety of phrases such as: he is good, wise, all powerful, true, just, holy, infinite, immortal, invisible. Indeed we are speaking the truth. God is all that taken together because he is more than all that. It means that he is so pure, so excellent, so exalted that in this absolutely simple perfection, he has the power, strength and excellence of every perfection.
Manna, for example, was a single food. It had in itself the taste and qualities of all other foods (Wis 16:20-21). We could say that it had the taste of lemon, melon, grape, plum and pear. But we could say even more truly that it did not have all these tastes but only one taste, its own. Yet it contained in its unity all that could be pleasing and desirable in the whole range of other tastes. It is like the herb dodecatheos. Pliny says that it heals all illness. It is neither rhubarb nor senna, neither rose nor betony, nor bugloss but a simple herb. It has the power of all other medicines put together. O abyss of divine perfections! How admirable you are to possess in one single perfection the excellence of every perfection to such [supreme] excellence that no one can understand it except you yourself!
Scripture says: We could say more but could never say enough; let the final word be: He is the all. Where can we find the strength to praise him? For he is greater than all his works. Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can, for he surpasses even that. When you exalt him, summon all your strength, and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough (Sir 43:27, 28, 30).[1]
No, Theotimus, we can never know him fully since, as St. John says, he is greater than our hearts (I Jn 3:20).3 However, let all the spirits praise the Lord (Ps 150:5), glorifying him with the noblest of all the names which could be found. To give him the greatest praise possible, let us proclaim that he can never be sufficiently praised. To give him the most excellent name that we can, let us confess that his name is above all names (Phil 2:9). We can never say it worthily.
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[1] NRSV. AE IV, p.80 gives Eccli XLIII, 29,30,33,34 Difference in the numbers is due to the difference in the version followed