Hello All:
For at least ten years I have periodically contributed thoughts and reflections to a personal memoir that aims to lay out the undeniable proof of God and the human Soul. I'm sure many have done this.
Usually with my spiritual reflections, I turn them into a polished up article for the blog and release on Sundays. But today's article is special. I find that when I try to polish the memoir up, that it loses its clarity and power. As you will read at the introduction in the very brief memoir, below, we need to explain not just to other people, but ourselves as to why we understand God to be real. Many of us know why. But there seems to be a growing force out there that quiets and debunks us. When this happens, reach for my memoir in today's featured writing.
We are approaching an age when the existence of God, and the human Soul is recognized as scientific fact, not a mere recognition that we put our faith into believing in these things. And yet the more evident the existence of God becomes, the stronger the growing counter force attempts to argue against this to the point that it almost seems our belief is flawed For this, we need to recognize some of the most basic truths we have as Christians. We need to be able to explain not just to other people, but to ourselves why we understand the existence of God to be real.
How Do Humans Know God is Real?
Throughout history, God has made himself known through miracles. We live in a physical world governed by mechanical, scientific laws. But miracles exist specifically to defy logical explanation and prove divine intervention. While science attempts to write off miracles as mere coincidence, those who have personally experienced them know the absolute truth of divine presence. The concept of miracles often hinge on their rarity. If such events were commonplace, they would lose their significance and impact, making it difficult to recognize when a true miracle occurs. Miracles serve a purpose: to inspire faith, wonder and proof of God in our world, rather than to be taken for granted.
The Bible as God's Record
It is said that the Bible is God's word. Those who argue against this cite that humans wrote the Bible. It even says in Timothy 3:16, "all scripture is given by inspiration of God". Yet people fail to recognize that the books of our Bible were written by approximately forty people over the span of 1600 years. The end result is one book that fits together, perfectly, with no contradictions. The Bible contains prophecy which has been fulfilled; predictions that are highly precise and detailed with the fulfillment perfectly exact.
The Reality and Truth of Jesus
The New Testament is regarded as a credible historical record with the Gospels containing valid eyewitness accounts of people who physically saw Jesus work miracles, such as restoring sight to the blind and raising the dead, as well as His predictions regarding the crucifixion and the Kingdom of Heaven. Because these historical eyewitness accounts exist, the reality of Jesus Christ as Messiah and the existence of God stand as objective facts.
The Ancient Movement of Jesus Should Have "Fizzed Out"
Psychologists and sociologists have sometimes cited that the very movement that Jesus started should have fizzed out within 25 years because that is the natural order of things. Instead, it has fundamentally changed the world and resulted in billions of Christians worldwide. The early Christians (the Apostles) stood in the streets to preach the Gospel despite witnessing horrific persecution of their kind. The question arises: Where did they find the power to publicly declare what they had seen and witnessed? The answer lies in the tangible reality of the miracles they observed after the crucifixion. Their boldness is evidence of God’s intervention.
Did the Disciples Only Imagine that Jesus was Resurrected?
Aligned with the "Fizzed Out" theory, above, many non believers have argued that the disciples merely speculated that Jesus had come back from the dead, or simply claimed that they heard what some people believed. But something certainly did happen on Pentecost in the upper room that filled them with the power to go out in the streets and tell everybody, despite how terrified they may have been in the few days before. They were now so eager to tell everybody the good news, but they were ridiculed and even put to death. One would think that if this Christ rising from the dead was simply a speculation or maybe a rumor that they might have heard, the Apostles would have changed their story had a sword been put to their throats. But this did not happen. They stuck with their story to the point of death because they were so affected by the risen Christ and the good news.
Prayer and Communing with God
People experience moments of heightened spiritual awareness and close connection to God that cannot be reduced to simple momentary brain chemistry or mysterious activity happening for a brief moment in the brain. In prayer, answers are frequently observed and recognized as occurring through God rather than psychological suggestion. Science cannot explain how people get their needs met or receive answers through prayer.
Additionally, there is the transformative power of prayer. When someone prays the Rosary for only a week or two, it is suddenly noticed that one’s life is transformed. The person who has been praying is nearly a different person with thinking and mental outlook much different from before starting the exercise.
The Body as Sacred Architecture
The physical body is referred to as a "temple to the Lord." This designation moves the body from a purely biological classification to a sacred vessel housing a divine presence. God is not "out there" in the sky or in a text but rather is in here, in the breath, the heartbeat, and the neural pathways.
The Beside the Spirit Construct
Liturgical evidence clarifies the mechanics of transgression. Sin is described as occurring "beside the spirit." This indicates that the spirit exists as a distinct companion and observer; while it is impacted by the body’s actions, it maintains a degree of essential separation.
The Mystery of Grace
When a person has been changed through a relationship with God he or she suddenly no longer wants to do the sinful things that were once pleasurable. You’ve removed all of those unnecessary and useless things that were holding you back, so you must now replace those things with truth, goodness, and beauty which are in line with the pursuit of virtue. St. Paul once said in his letter to the Galatians (Galatians 2:20): “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” It is a reminder that we are not saved by our own works, but by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is also a reminder that when we are saved, we are given a new life in Christ. We are no longer slaves to sin, but we are free to live for God.
The Evolutionary Trajectory of the Soul’s Progression
We experience an initial awakening or external stimulus that initiates the Soul’s journey toward God. (e.g., conversion, a sudden sense of purpose, or a "thorn in the flesh" prompting reflection). From that point, one begins to actively strip away obstacles that hinder union with God. This stage involves purgation and the purification of sin, disordered desires, and egoic attachments. Finally, the Soul actively aligns with Christ as the "Star of Jesus" (a metaphor for divine guidance, echoing the Magi’s journey in Matthew 2:2). One practices regular prayer or reading of scripture for ongoing alignment with the will of God.
This journey aligns closely with the works of St. John of the Cross (Dark Night of the Soul), St. Teresa of Ávila (The Interior Castle), and St. Ignatius of Loyola (Spiritual Exercises). It describe the Soul’s journey as a universal path, though not everyone progresses at the same pace or intensity. But it still happens! How can we possibly begin to explain this without the influence of God?
Spiritual Gifts (the Charismata)
Granted by the Holy Spirit, the Charismata (from 1 Corinthians 12) are specific supernatural gifts that are are distinct from natural talents (e.g., musical ability, intelligence, etc). These are divinely bestowed. These are not earned or developed through human effort alone. These are to be used to build up believers and glorify God and to serve the church. Examples include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mercy, discernment of spirits, etc. Supernatural gifts are a reminder that Christianity is a living, dynamic relationship with God, one that empowers believers to participate in. As St. Irenaeus once wrote, "The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God."
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