The Catechism of the Catholic Church

If God is a good Father and creates a good world, why does evil exist? The Catechism addresses this profound and often painful question. Fr. Mike helps us understand how to reconcile sin, evil, and suffering with God’s loving Providence. He assures us that while God does not remove evil, he does redeem it, offering himself as the solution. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 309-314.

How does God create? We read about the reality that God creates an ordered and good world. Moreover, he is continually present in his creation, upholding and sustaining it. We also learn that God grants human beings the dignity of being causes, giving us the incredible power to share in his Divine Providence freely. Finally, Fr. Mike reminds us that because we can participate in God’s plan, our suffering is not meaningless. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 299-308.

Why did God create? The Catechism today gives us a glimpse into the reason for our existence as we learn about God’s marvelous work of creation. Fr. Mike emphasizes that creation is ultimately a work of the Holy Trinity and a work of love that reveals the glory of God. He also reminds us that creation is not a work of the past; God is constantly forming and breathing new life into our lives and hearts. Today we read Catechism paragraphs 290-298.

Together with Fr. Mike, we examine some of the different explanations for God’s existence outside of the Catholic understanding, such as Pantheism, Dualism, Manichaeism, and Deism. Fr. Mike explains that while some understanding of man’s origin can be perceived through human reason and the natural world, we also need Revelation, as it answers many questions about creation we could never possibly hope to answer with reason alone. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 285-289.

Fr. Mike explores God’s role as “Creator” and the vital importance of understanding God as the Creator of all things: heaven and earth, seen and unseen. Together, we examine the questions of our origins, such as “Where do we come from?” and “Where are we going?” Fr. Mike emphasizes that man is created for a purpose because of the great and eternal love our Father in heaven has for every one of us. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 279-284.

Together, with Fr. Mike, we explore the nature of God as Almighty. Fr. Mike discusses three important points to keep in mind about the reality of God’s power. The first is that God’s power is universal. God rules over everything; it is an infinite power. He is loving, he adopts us as his sons and daughters and shows us his mercy. Fr. Mike concludes with a reflection on God’s mysterious power in relation to the reality of the problem of evil and suffering in our world. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 268-278.

We have arrived at the “nugget day” or In Brief section for the paragraphs examining the nature of the Father in the Trinity. Fr. Mike reiterates some of the “nuggets” of wisdom from these past few days. He emphasizes the importance of how Baptism allows us to share in the life of the Holy Trinity. We conclude this section with a reflection on this profound call to share in the glory of the Trinity even though it exists “in the obscurity of faith.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 261-267.

Fr. Mike continues to unpack the Church’s teachings on the Trinity. Today, we move into an examination of the divine economy or how God has revealed and communicated himself on earth. The divine economy is not just the work of the Father, but rather the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together as one. Fr. Mike concludes this episode with a reflection on the impactful words of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity who asks God to “make our hearts his heaven.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 257-260.

Together, with Fr. Mike, we continue our exploration of the Church’s teachings on the nature of the Holy Trinity. We examine three main ideas. The first is the unity of the Trinity, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one God. The next is the Divine Persons as distinct from one another: one God, three distinct persons. As Fr. Mike states, “The Son is not the Father, the Father is not the Son, and the Holy Spirit is not either.” Finally, Fr. Mike discusses the relation between each person of the Holy Trinity. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 253-256.

Fr. Mike explores the formation of the Church’s dogma on the nature of the Trinity. He unpacks the terms used by the Church in an attempt to explain the nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, as Fr. Mike reminds us, with the story of St. Augustine and the child on the seaside, the Trinity is a mystery that none of us can fully comprehend. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 249-252.