It is a common temptation to see God as a sort of superhuman, created in our image but perfected, no character flaws, no sin, and the ability to do perfectly all the things we fail to do or do imperfectly. He is sometimes seen as the kindly “Man Upstairs,” waiting to hear from us and promising to do what we want done. “God is good!” is a true statement depending on the meaning of “good”, but these primitive views of God don’t even touch the whole truth.
The Universe
Catholic theology is that we are not the model for God but are created in the spiritual image of God which enables us to have enough understanding to profess belief in One God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. The memorized words just flow. But if we think seriously about “all things visible and invisible,” the universe, heaven, angels, space, and spirits, we realize how primitive our understanding of God the Creator must be. “I asked Grok about the universe, and this is the secular description I got of what Catholics profess to believe God created.
Our universe is a vast, dynamic, and complex expanse that began approximately 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang, an event that marked the origin of space, time, matter, and energy. It is characterized by its immense scale—spanning at least 93 billion light-years in diameter, though its true size may be infinite or beyond observation due to the limits of light travel. The universe is composed of roughly 5% ordinary matter (stars, planets, gas), 27% dark matter (invisible, gravitationally influential), and 68% dark energy (driving accelerated expansion).
It is structured hierarchically: particles form atoms, atoms form molecules, and these coalesce into stars, planets, and galaxies, which cluster into superclusters connected by cosmic webs of filaments, walls, and voids. Galaxies, like our Milky Way, contain billions of stars and diverse phenomena, from black holes to nebulae. The universe is governed by fundamental forces—gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces—described by physical laws, though mysteries like quantum gravity and the nature of dark matter remain unresolved.
The universe is expanding, as evidenced by the redshift of distant galaxies, with its rate accelerating due to dark energy. Its geometry appears flat on large scales, and its evolution includes epochs like the cosmic microwave background (CMB) formation, galaxy formation, and the eventual fate, potentially a “Big Freeze” as expansion continues. It hosts a rich array of phenomena, from supernovae to gravitational waves, and possibly life, though Earth remains the only confirmed habitable world.
Philosophically, the universe raises profound questions about its origin, purpose, and whether it is unique or part of a multiverse. Scientifically, it is studied through telescopes, particle accelerators, and simulations, yet much remains unknown, making it a humbling and awe-inspiring frontier of exploration.
Impressive and sobering, isn’t it? Note that Grok credits the Big Bang with origin of the universe but doesn’t include any suggestions about what went Bang and where that came from. There is only a brief mention of life and none of evolution, but we should have no problem believing that God, a spirit outside of space and time, eternal, all knowing, all seeing, and everywhere present, chose such as his means of creation. It is beyond our imagination though not beyond our willingness to believe.
Catholic Teaching About God
One approach I took to exploring this question about God was to ask Magisterium.com to prepare a brief but complete summary of Catholic teaching about God. This is what I got:
The Catholic Church teaches that God is one yet exists as a Trinity of three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. This central doctrine of Christianity affirms that these three Persons are co-eternal, co-equal, uncreated, and omnipotent, sharing one divine nature or substance.
The Mystery of the Trinity: The Trinity is considered a profound mystery, revealed by God Himself, particularly through the person, works, and words of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament emphasized the unity of God, it also foreshadowed the mystery of the Trinity, which was fully explicated in the New Testament. Jesus explicitly named these Persons when he commanded the Apostles to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
Distinct Yet Inseparable Persons: The three divine Persons are truly distinct from one another, with their distinction residing solely in their relationships of origin.
- The Father is eternally Father in relation to His only Son.
- The Son is eternally Son only in relation to His Father.
- The Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son.
Despite these distinctions, the Persons are inseparable in their being and actions. They are not three Gods, but one God. For example, creation is attributed to the Trinity as a whole, not some parts by the Father, some by the Son, and some by the Holy Spirit. Similarly, salvation is achieved by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit together.
Attributes of God: God is revealed as infinitely holy, possessing perfections such as omnipotence, infinite knowledge, providence, will, and love. He is “He who is,” as revealed to Moses, and is also love, as taught by St. John. These names, “being” and “love,” express the same divine reality of God, who dwells in “light inaccessible” and is beyond all created intellect.
Humanity’s Relationship with God: Through faith, believers come to understand that their life, beginning at baptism, involves acquiring a more intimate familiarity with the three divine Persons. Christians are called to share in God’s divine nature through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The revelation of God as Trinity also highlights that God is an infinite communion of love, and humanity is called by grace to become His children in the Spirit 10.
Sacred Scripture About God?
Finally, I asked both Grok and Magisterium for Bible verses that support the teaching of the Catholic Church about God. There were some differences in the two lists, but all seemed appropriate and are included here.
Bible verses that explain Catholic belief about the nature of God.
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning when God created[a] the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God[b] swept over the face of the waters.Bottom of Form
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”[a] He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Exodus 34:6 The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord,
a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.
Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
John 1:1-5, 9, 14, 18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father’s heart,[f] who has made him known.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 10:30 The Father and I are one.
Acts 5:3-4 “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us[a] but to God!”
1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
1 John 5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.