Grace builds on nature #2

A few days ago I reflected on the meaning of the theological axiom "Grace builds on Nature" and I wanted to say a bit more about that.  (I'm never without something more to add or say) 


Many years ago I felt inspired and excited.  I had struggled and put forth a lot of effort to grow and learn.  I was never a fan of school but suddenly in my life there came a time when I wanted to know as much as I could about "human nature."  


I became a student of "humanity."


I wanted to know as much as I could about the human condition.  I wanted to understand what everyone was saying on this issue so that I could know better what God had done when He made "human nature" and so that I could understand myself more.  


There was also a few extra and unexpected benefits.  I felt that the more that I learned about human nature the easier and more comfortable that I was working with and ministering to people.  The most beneficial thing that came out of all of this was that I was forced to learn about my self and my own emotions.... but I'm getting ahead of things for this blog post.

This is an example of my point...
I strongly disagree

There are some in the world who look at science with a great deal of suspicion and doubt.  Sometime people of strong faith see science as somehow undermining what our faith holds dear and sacred.   I can't disagree with this notion more.


I firmly believe that the vast majority of science is done by good people who are just like you and I.  I believe that science is one of the most noble human pursuits that has ever been undertaken because it seeks to understand and study reality.  If you look at it from the perspective of a faithful believer it can be said that science studies "God's fingerprints."

Psalm 19

But this I mean that creation (our whole world and the entire cosmos) was created by God and as such it is a reflection of its creator.  We are in God's image and likeness.  So whenever science studies creation it is as if they reveal for us some new truth about God.  To study creation is, in a way, to study the creator.  When the cosmos is analyzed and investigated it is as if we get to see God's fingerprints.


In a certain sense science is secular-theology.  Those who do science teach us about the creator (God) without fully realizing it.


Why am I carrying on about science you might be wondering?  It is because as I began to become a better "student of humanity" I found that I could see God at work in the science that I was reading and studying.  


In the seminary I wrote a paper on how quantum physics can help us understand the Eucharist better.  I read a book about mass human behavior and it helped me understand our Catholic Church better.  I read another book about psychology and neurology and it helped me talk to, listen to, and work with people more.


For me, and you may be different, studying interesting things in science helped me understand human nature more.  And since human nature is in God's image and likeness then it helped me understand God more.

I do think science = secular theology.  If we use science to help us better understand the world that God created it can help us understand God too... in my humble opinion.


The second benefit of being a "student of humanity" was that I had to look inward.  I think I made some reference to that in the other blog post.


I had to learn about what "made me tick" on the inside.  I found that the Holy Spirit was dwelling within me and to encounter God I had to learn about myself and face my inner life.


For me this meant that I had to really wrestle with my emotions.  In some sense I wanted to be like John Wayne and always be stoic and never be effected by my emotions.  I could not stand my emotions and to admit that I had then and to be honest about what they were was terrible!  

However, the more that I prayed the more that I felt God's call the more I looked inward and began to wrestle with my feelings.  In this I found a sense of freedom and peace that is hard to describe.  I really believe that it is through prayer, self-reflection, and and awareness of one's own emotions that it is possible to know the peace that "the world cannot give."  


I think this is the peace that the world cannot give (to quote Jesus) because when I wrestled with my emotions I found things like guilt, regret, sorrow, shame, and pain.  It was only through the encounter of the Holy Spirit within and through the mercy of God that these feelings could be reconciled with my faith.  The feelings did not immediately go away but God's mercy does heal a broken heart.

The peace that the world cannot give, for me, is being at peace with myself and being at peace with others.  This really happened as a blessing that came from God but flowed through my becoming "a student of humanity."