Friday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

REFLECTION:

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that we can come to know the existence of God not only through Scripture but also through the natural world. In his Five Ways—his five classic proofs for the existence of God—one of the most accessible is the “Design Argument” or the Argument from Governance. Aquinas says that when we look at the order, harmony, and purpose in creation, it becomes reasonable to conclude that there is an Intelligent Designer behind it all.

In simple terms: things that lack intelligence do not move toward order and purpose on their own. If an arrow hits the target, someone aimed it; if the universe displays order, Someone designed it.

Another way to look at the Design Argument is to pay attention to how creation has a natural flow and connection. There is a rhythm woven into nature—from the tides that respond to the moon, to ecosystems that depend on one another, to seasons that move in perfect cycles. If there were no God, there would be no purpose, no order, no deeper unity holding everything together. And if there were many gods, each creating their own section of the world independently, nature would look disjointed—different parts with different rules, patterns that clash instead of harmonize. Instead, what we see is a creation that moves like a single symphony under one divine Conductor.

This is exactly the message Wisdom 13:1–9 tries to awaken in us. The sacred author challenges people who admire creation but stop there—who see the beauty of the stars, oceans, mountains, and forces of nature, yet fail to lift their gaze to the One who fashioned them. The issue is not admiration; admiration is good. The issue is when people worship the creation instead of the Creator.

We live in a world not so different from ancient Alexandria, where this book was written. People today worship the universe, crystals, energy, nature, success, or even themselves—everything but God. They want the “design” without acknowledging the “Designer.” And yet, as Aquinas would insist, you cannot have order without an Orderer, design without a Designer, creation without a Creator.

Wisdom invites us to look deeper:
If you can admire the beauty of creation, why not admire the One who breathed beauty into it?
If you can marvel at the rhythm of the seasons, why not worship the One who set its tempo?
If you are amazed by the balance of ecosystems, why not praise the One who sustains them?

Today, let creation become a classroom of faith.
Let every sunrise remind you of the Artist.
Let every breeze carry the whisper of the Creator.
Let every moment of wonder move your heart toward worship.

May we be people who don’t just see the world, but see God through the world, and allow creation to lead us to the Creator.