Look above you. Why all this?? Why such a large universe, billions of galaxies with billions of stars each? Perhaps one solar system would have been sufficient. Look around you. Why all this?? Not one species of bird, but thousands. Tens of thousands of kinds of animals and birds. The sea is filled with a massive variety of fish and other sea life. Billions of people with amazing variety, each with their own story. Why all this???
What if the answer is love? God is love and love seeks to share with others. Love seeks union and manifests beauty. Love is extravagant and ever expansive.
Science can say “what” and some of the “how” but it cannot answer “why.” But God has writ the answer all around us in an extravagant and magnificent cosmos. We and all things exist by his extravagent love.
Why all this? Love! Behold the magnificence of all things and that of your very self. Only love would do all this. Only love.
What if we are surrounded by love?
Here is a nice video from The Life After Sunday Website
Our God is a God of abundance. He wants us to have everything.
I’ve always thought of the world as being created and then after the Fall, re-created by the work of Christ (hence St. Paul’s language of New Creation, and the eschatological ideas that permeate Scripture of a new heavens and a new earth). If the latter was because God so loved the world that he wanted to afford humanity the opportunity to share in the divine Love, does it not also make sense that the original reason for the Creation was to share in the divine Love?
Great post Msgr. Pope…love reading your work!
Thank you. When I hear squabbling and guilt manipulation about love; “Who do you love? Me or the other parent (sibling, cousin, hot dog vendor, whoever) I am grateful for my heavenly Father who shows how infinite love can be.
However, going off topic for a bit, many will begin preparation for their Christmas celebrations soon; say about September. I realize that this is a bit early but, I’ve waited and see no harm in posting my Christmas card poems now for the use of the those who like to make their own cards.
I have a number of poems which include some gospel (as well as two gospel songs) that I work toward publishing someday so, I retain copyright on most of them except for my Christmas card poems and, the Easter card poem which I posted here a little while ago as I feel that they are a special gift which is meant to be shared.
So, here they are for the use of those who feel they’re appropriate;
(See Matthew 11:28-30 and Luke 18:9-14)
Is humility so degrading
That we can only use it at lowest low?
Or, is humility a massive strength
That puts us in the know?
As it untangles lies and denial
Out of which we’ve built a prison wall
And keeps our feet on solid ground
Lest we tumble down and fall.
Well, who sets a fine example
That humility is a strength?
Some are the winners in Recovery
Whose abstinence has great length.
But, there is One who used humility
On the first Christmas Day on Earth
Who showed that the Best used humble strength
When He slept in a feeding trough after birth!
(See John 8:31-34)
Peace on Earth and goodwill toward men
Is like a seed in my heart to be shared with my pen
For the Greatest of Gardeners has planted a seed
That grew to a plant which choked out every weed
So that the peace that I live in can come from within
As it helps shed the bondage which chained me to sin
So that I’m happy to celebrate that wondrous birth
In a manger, in a stable, that first Christmas on Earth.
(See John 1:1-5)
On Christmas Day
As the sunlight grows longer
And darkness recedes
While the light grows stronger
We celebrate with a feast
The Birth of the Word
Whose nourishing message
Of love was heard
So that our spirits can strengthen
And grow a little bit more
As we move toward light
Through the opening door.
Interestingly, a knowledge of the Universe without God means the only answer for why we exist is “Because of evolution” or “Because we are” or “Because of happiness.” The latter though is closer to the truth, since God created us for Himself.