The One-Story Universe

By Scott Ferrier, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

The lay members of Christ’s faithful have a particular characteristic that is proper to them and that is their secular character. The specific role of the lay faithful in the mission of the Church is to sanctify the temporal order, the world in which they live. In the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium), we find the familiar refrain: “But the laity, by their very vocation, seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God … They are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven.” (Lumen Gentium, 31).

According to Catholic doctrine, the spiritual and temporal orders are distinct realities — but not separate ones. This distinction has grown more definitive in postmodern times. Remember Our Lord recommending to render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s? (Mt 22:21) The challenge today for the lay faithful, as well as for the ones we would evangelize by our witness to Christ’s love, is the secularization of the culture. Its widespread influence is eclipsing belief in the existence of a supernatural order. Anyone who daily omits some remembrance of God is risking separation from God’s mercy.

Many people ‘feel’ that they can get by living in a “two-story universe”, as one modern writer calls it. There are areas of our life centered around its human necessities and interests from which we are often tempted to exclude God. And, tragically, others find that living on the first-story brings with it varying degrees of doubt as to whether God is even occupying the second-story! The Lord is calling us to share His Mission in the secular arena but, to do so, we must be diligent in preserving our life with Christ ‘on the second floor.’

Engaging in temporal affairs, do not forget the operating principle of the lower level in the world: “The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other.” (Gal 5:17). There is a difficult battle being waged by every soul. When the two-story universe exiles God from the first level, nothing is sacred. So we must “watch and pray.”

The reality is that everyone lives in a one-story universe. The human person is created by God to enjoy the beatific vision in heaven. Christ, “making all things new” by the blood of the Holy Cross, has overcome the world and redeemed it. In Christ, we possess an unshakable Hope. Believe in God’s promises — Thy Kingdom come! There should be no gap between my daily life and my life with God.