Pat Arensberg: We call God Father I

“I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.” –Nicene Creed

We profess faith in a God who is the almighty Father.  He is the ultimate source of all things.  We profess faith that there are realities that we cannot see (and we don’t mean the air; we mean spiritual and “non-corporeal” realities).  We know that our Father in heaven is the source of all physical reality and all spiritual and non-material reality.  You know, I am struck at the number of phrases we use that we don’t really understand.  So, for example, we believe that God is our ultimate source and that without him we would cease to be.  We believe that he is “Being” or “Existence” and that we would cease to “be” or “exist” without him.  But have you ever stopped and wondered what matter is?  I mean, in former times people categorized all things into four categories (earth, wind, fire and water).  As science progressed we learned to identify matter at the atomic level (hydrogen, oxygen, helium, etc.).  Then we advance further and began to ask what atoms were made of, “Well, protons, neutrons and electrons,” was the answer that came.  Ok, but what are protons and neutrons made of?  Well, I have heard that it is called “quarks.”  But, what are quarks made of?  And, when science tells me what a quark is made of I already have my next question ready to go…”What is ____________ made of?”

It seems to me that at the heart of matter is a mystery that points to our Creator, Our Father, who is the source of all things visible and invisible.  What, ultimately is matter?  It seems to me that every time science progresses another step forward into the building blocks of matter it only deepens the mystery.

About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children.