Proof for the Pagans
Nov. 17: Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
I think we’ve discussed this before—some things about God can be reasoned out from our own observations of the natural world. Today’s first reading and Psalm are about that.
But some things, we need God Himself to tell us—and that’s just what Jesus does in the Gospel.
Reading 1
Wis 13:1-9
All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan; But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods.
Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them. For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen. But yet, for these the blame is less; For they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. But again, not even these are pardonable. For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its Lord?
As I wrote yesterday, Wisdom seems to be influenced by Greek philosophy. Thus, the writer seems to take a patient view with pagans who came to know God through His work in nature.1
He does let them totally off the hook, however. Instead of focusing on God’s creation, we should look past it to the Creator.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:2-3, 4-5ab
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
This is what’s now called the “fine tuning” argument for God. It’s also Thomas Aquinas’s Fifth Proof for the existence of God, the Teleological Argument. The short version is basically, look at how ordered the universe is (the regularity of days, seasons, etc). You don’t need God to talk to you with words, when the universe itself declares his glory.
It’s a bit more complicated than that, but even Christopher Hitchens finds it to be one of the better cases for God.
Alleluia
Lk 21:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia
Jesus warns us that we’ll see troubling times, but we should remain steady in our faith.
Gospel
Lk 17:26-37
Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left."
They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?"
He said to them, "Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather."
The Second Coming will be a surprise when it happens; anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something. Heck, early Christians believed it would happen any day now, and they were obviously mistaken.
But remember, Luke is writing this down decades after the Resurrection. So this warning isn’t just about the Parousia; it’s also for everyone who passes away before then. It happens every day—eating, drinking, buying, selling, and then suddenly, they’re gone without warning.
So rather than trying to preserve our lives (which won’t happen), we should should lose it to God.
The “governors” mentioned are the sun and moon, not politicians.