It Was You

We continue the "Ascent of the Mind to God” by reflecting on how great, how “high,” is the one who formed our inward parts; who knit us together in our mother’s womb.

If something has an intelligible structure that we are not just reading into it, then someone or something – an “efficient cause” – had to give it that shape so it could act. To “per-form” is to act “through a form.” When we call a spade a spade, we are saying someone shaped this thing to be a tool. If no one did, we might use it as a spade, but we don’t say it is one. The same is true when we recognize the intelligibility of our own being: “It was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together…”

Bellamine invites us to ask about the “height” of the Being who could have done this:

You are not created out of any material, but out of absolutely nothing. Only almighty God can make something of nothing. When he chose to do it, he alone, without assistant or helper, created you by his own hands, which are his intellect and will.

In addition, the union of the soul with the body, which is the main part of the making of human nature, could be achieved by nobody except a craftsman of infinite power. By what skill except God’s could spirit be joined to flesh by such a close bond that they make up one substance? Body has no similarity with spirit. There is no comparison between them. Therefore he “who alone does great wonders” made your human nature (Psalm 136:4).

Truly, then, the Spirit of God speaks through Moses: “Is not he your father, who made you and created you?” And Jesus, the Wisdom of God, said, “Call no one on earth your father, for you have one Father – the one in heaven” (Deuteronomy 32:6; Matthew 23:9).

Actually, God only becomes our real Father when he shares his own divine life with us through the rebirth of Baptism. Until then he is just our Creator. But because he cares for us like a father, Saint Robert exhorts us:

Consider now, my soul. God is the maker of your body and your soul. Like a father he carries and nourishes you. Whatever you are, you are his. Whatever you have, you have it from him. Whatever you hope for, you hope for from him.

Why, then, do you not give thanks and praise for such a great parent? Why do you not love him with your whole heart? Why do you not prefer him to all earthly things? Why do you let vain desires become your master?

Lift up your eyes to him. Fear not what any enemy on earth may do to you, since you have an almighty Father in heaven.

O my soul, consider what it means that the almighty and eternal God does not turn his eyes away from you. That he loves you, protects you, directs you and nurtures you as if you were his great treasure. Then you will put all your trust in him. You will respect him as Lord, love him as Father, and there will be no passing good or evil, however great, that will be able to pull you away from his love.

God didn’t just create us. He is creating us right now. It is not possible for God to just “put something out there” and forget about it. If he did, we would immediately cease to exist. So God our Creator is giving us existence right now. In an ongoing act of creation.

That says he still thinks we are worth keeping in existence.

To those who say, “The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me,” God answers through Isaiah: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Yes, they may forget, but I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).

Because, if he did, we would not be here. We would simply cease to exist.

Just as God never stops giving us being, we should never stop praising and thanking him for it.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. It was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb

We give you thanks for your great glory!