Huge Theological Blunder in Liturgy of Hours

Week III Psalm Prayer (Ps. 100) says:

"God, devoted to us, as a Father, you created us as a sign of your power, and elected us a people to show your goodness . . ."

Flags! flags! flags!

Offending phrase, "you created us as a sign of your power"

This is the sort of thing that got Origen condemned as a heretic. It is one of the most fundamental distinctions in Chritianity. That God did not need to create the world. He created the world for no other reason than that he wanted to creat the world. He did not need to create creation to have subjects to reign over. He did not need to create the world to have creatures to appreciate his power. He did not need to create the world to have a foil for his greatness. His creation of the world is simply an act of grace, a mannifestation of love and unnecessary and underivable from anything in his nature.

BTW, Origen was an Egyptian priest in the 200s, very learned, all around great guy, grade A egg. He was willing to be a martyr and once when Christians were being rounded up was willing to declare his faith but his mom hid his clothes. Things kind'a went down hill for him (in our contemporary eyes) when he took the words of Christ about Eunuchs literally and thus mutilated himself. Yes guys! Ouch!

Otherwise, he was one of the greatest theologians and mystics in Church history. His writings came under a cloud after he died, but the Church owes a debt of gratitude to him.

Here's more about him (click on his name above for the 1917 Cath. Encyclopedia on him):

Origen: Early Christian Writings (Great page, all the links you'll need)

Origen: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Wikipedia has a good entry on Origen too