Faith, Science, and My Pea Brain

I have an intense interest in the natural world.  To see a hummingbird flitter around the sugar water feeder in my back yard fascinates me.  To notice that grizzly bears seemingly wonder aimlessly around Yellowstone National Park intrigues me.  To observe raindrops falling from a dark sky during daylight hours mesmerizes me.  To know that innumerable planets, stars, galaxies and black holes exist in the sky above captivates me.  To consider that a whole other world of atoms, nuclei, electrons, and molecules are found while observing matter under a powerful microscope (that does not exist) enthralls me. 

I could go on and on.  Sometimes I think I have a pea-sized brain that can’t possibly capture, let alone explain, all that is there in the natural world.  But I gave it a try.  I went to college and majored in chemistry, going as far as a Master’s degree.  In college, I met people who had similar interests.  Some obviously have brains that could go much further than mine in explaining things.  These folks now write and speak their science specialty in ways that clearly show an understanding that goes far beyond mine.  Today, I am seventy years old and retired.  I taught chemistry at the college level for thirty-seven years.  I found myself always wanting to go deeper in explaining things to my students.  Besides needing to obey rules that stopped me from mentioning God, I found myself also stopped because of my pea-sized brain too.

Today, I read books about the science vs faith riddle.  Some scientists feel they can conclude that all of life’s mysterious phenomena can be (and will be) explained by science without invoking anything like the existence of God.  These scientists are obviously atheists.  Other scientists have a long list of scientific accomplishments behind their name (such as the unraveling of the human genome mystery) and conclude that there is no other explanation except to say that God exists, has created the universe, and is in total charge.

I was born into a faith-filled family.  I believe in miracles.  I believe in God.  Besides that, I am a Catholic and am entirely comfortable with the tenets of my faith.  I believe in the miracle of the Eucharist.  I believe that bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Jesus at the Catholic Mass.  You may want to call it my pea brain.  You may want to call it indoctrination.  You may want to call it insanity, or all of the above.  But that is who I am.  I look forward to pulling back the curtain and passing from this life into the next.  In fact, I can hardly wait!  My prayer for today:  Lord, you are in charge.  I stand in awe of your astonishing power, your breathtaking creation, your astounding handiwork, and, besides all of this, your overwhelming abiding patience and love.  Keep me ever in the palm of your hand and within your providential care.  Amen!