Thursday, November 29, 2018

Everything that is ... well, it just is.


Isn’t the human body something?  It has ribs to protect vital organs from damage in the case of some sort of impact.  It has blood that is pumped through it via a heart, and veins and vessels carrying oxygen and vital nutrients throughout.  It has lungs that take oxygen from the air and deposits it internally in such a way that it keeps the body alive and functioning.  It has sex organs, one set for females and one for males, that function for the purpose of reproduction and perpetuation of the species.  It has eyeballs for the purpose of seeing light, and ears for the purpose of hearing sounds and skin that provide a sense of feel.  It has a brain that interprets everything we see, hear, and feel, giving us the ability to think, to reason, and to act.  It has eyelashes that protect the eyes from small particles.  It has hands with fingers that allow us to manipulate materials and create things.

Some people believe that this all came about because of the natural existence of chemical elements that have just the right properties that are needed on a planet that has just the right mix of matter, just the right atmosphere, just the right temperature, just the right amount of time, just the right whatever to produce not just the human body, but also every other observable phenomenon on the earth.  The key word here is natural.  In their mind, everything just is, and, given the right conditions, anything is possible naturally. 

As a chemist, I am aware of the properties of the chemical elements.  And it is easy to just say that that is just how things are.  For example, sulfur and chlorine are right next to each other in the periodic table and consist of atoms that are different because of just one proton and one electron.  Okay, everything just is.  But to put all the chemical elements together on the surface of a planet that, over time, produce not just this spectacular human body but many, many different species of life is just overwhelming to me. 

Some people call God the designer of all things.  I personally don’t like the word “designer.”  I don’t see God as someone sitting at a desk with pen, paper, and a computer like some sort of super-architect.   I prefer the word “Creator.”  He brought everything into existence. everything that is, with the wave of His hand and, as it says in Scripture, saw that it was very good.  My prayer for today:  Lord, please help us to understand our universe better so that every human being on earth can come to believe in you and properly give you the praise and glory you deserve.  Amen.

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Is Giving Thanks Scriptural?


The Bible story that comes to my mind when I ask myself the question “Is giving thanks scriptural?” is the story of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19).  Jesus healed all ten, but only one, a Samaritan, returned to thank Him.  Jesus seemed not just disappointed, but maybe just a little angry.  He certainly can’t be disappointed in the Samaritan.  His words of thanks are loud and full of praise for Jesus.  Luke says “And one of them, realizing that he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him.” (Luke 17:15-16).  But Jesus says “Where are the other nine?”

God has given each of us so many gifts.  Let’s list a few of them:  the gift of life, of existence; the gift of the Earth, with all of its life-sustaining elements, air, water, food; the gift of family, of friends; the gift of our minds, of our intelligence, our souls; the gifts of teachers, of government officials, of clergy; the gifts of children; and the gift of our personal wealth, however meager for some, yet a great gift.  The list goes on and on.  Yet, we only set aside one day out of the year.  

I think we should give thanks to God every day.  We need to shout it loudly, maybe from the rooftops, and glorify our Creator at the same time.  We are so much in his debt.  Yes, God expects to be thanked and glorified by us, his creation.  And if we know that God expects something from us, we better pay heed.  He holds our eternal destiny in His hands.  Jesus Himself gave thanks to His Father ... when he consecrated the bread and wine at the Last Supper.  The next time you attend Mass, pay special attention.  "He took bread, and, giving thanks, he broke the bread, and said "Take and eat, this is my body."

In the words of the psalmist:  “Give thanks to the Lord who is good, whose love endures forever …” (Ps 107:1).  Amen!