Since science made much progress in our world, it has questioned the things that science is not able to answer for itself. It only believes what it can explain by its methods. Whenever something is beyond its comprehension or power to measure, it casts its doubt as though nothing else could ever be true.
This does not mean that science directly contradicts faith. If we uncover the noblest purposes of science, we’d realize that it seeks the truth also.
Truth is the underlying principle that should govern science and reason.
But science, just like any field of discipline, can be influenced by the various motivations of the men behind it. While there can be men who sincerely seek the truth, there can also be those who refuse to see it.
Hence, the common view that science and religion cannot co-exist with each other.
But if we take a look at the official stand of the Church, it isn’t opposed to science. It even uses reason to support many of its claims to truth.
Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
So “that the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit.” Thus the miracles of Christ and the saints, prophecies, the Church’s growth and holiness, and her fruitfulness and stability “are the most certain signs of divine Revelation, adapted to the intelligence of all”; they are “motives of credibility” (motiva credibilitatis), which show that the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind”. (CCC 156)
The Church says that faith need not be blind. It should not be the same as believing in superstition.
But there are things that even science cannot explain. And this doesn’t mean that some things aren’t true just because they cannot be explained.
These signs are what we often call as miracles. A common example is a miraculous healing that is “medically inexplicable.” In Lourdes alone, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 to St. Bernadette, there are 70 cases of healing that are “medically inexplicable”.
In this way, God provides “signs and wonders” to prove His Revelation. And science works hand in hand by proving what it can and cannot explain.
Even during the time of Jesus with the apostles, He provided the people with various signs and wonders through His miracles. He healed the sick, multiplied bread and raised the dead. He did all those things that could help the people understand who He is and what He could do.
Unfortunately, not everyone chose to believe even with all the evidence they saw before their eyes.
They did not doubt because of the absence of any proof. But because they chose to set aside what they saw.
Even today, various miracles are taking place. Many are recorded in the lives of saints. They can be verified through historical and medical records. There are eyewitnesses that can attest to the miracles that they have witnessed.
The only thing that is needed is the acceptance of these proofs. Once we are given all the evidence that we need, how would we react? Would we choose to believe? Or would we turn our eyes away so we could remain blind?
“So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.” — Mark 16:19–20, WEBBE
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