Ignorance of God is Foolishness

Friday 12th November 2021. Read Wisdom 13:1-9, Ps. 19:2-5, Luke 17:26-37

“For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists, nor did they recognize the craftsman while paying heed to his works.” (Wisdom 13:1)

According to our first reading today, we are being foolish when we deny God’s existence given that we can clearly see what God has created around us. St. Paul would add: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-21). After reflecting on the above, the great intellectual colossus, St. Thomas Aquinas, came up with five solid proofs of God’s existence. They are:

1., The Proof from Motion. Whatever is in motion now was at rest until moved by something else, and that by something else, and so on. So there must be a First Mover which is itself unmoved. This First Mover is God.

2., The Proof from EFFICIENT CAUSE. Everything in the world has its efficient cause--its maker--and that maker has its maker, and so on. So there must have been a First Maker, that was not itself made, and that First Maker is God.

3., The Proof from NECESSARY VS. POSSIBLE BEING. Everything we see around us depends on something else for survival hence they are called contingent beings as against one necessary being that does not depend on anything else. This Necessary Being is God.

4., The Proof from DEGREES OF PERFECTION or BEAUTY. We all evaluate things and people in terms of their being more or less perfectly true, good, noble, beautiful, and so on. That Most Perfect Being is God.

5., The Proof from DESIGN. As we look at the world around us, and ourselves, we see ample evidence of design--the bird's wing, designed for the purpose of flight; the human ear, designed for the purpose of hearing; the natural environment, designed to support life; and on and on. If there is design, there must be a designer. That Designer is God.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus makes us understand that we do not know the day or the hour when we would be called to give an account of our lives. Just as it is foolishness to deny God’s existence, it is even greater foolishness to ignore God’s instructions on how we ought to live our lives. 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I offer my very life in service to you and whenever you choose to call me, may I be found worthy of heaven. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Josaphat, Bishop, Martyr (Memorial). Bible Study: Wisdom 13:1-9, Ps. 19:2-5, Luke 17:26-37).