St Atanasius Got It Why Don't Today's Scientists
he speeds the lightning as he orders.
In the same way, his treasuries open
and the clouds fly out like birds.
In his great might he banks up the clouds,
and shivers them into fragments of hail.
At sight of him the mountains rock,
at the roar of his thunder the earth writhes in labour.
At his will the south wind blows,
or the storm from the north and the whirlwind.
He sprinkles snow like birds alighting,
it comes down like locusts settling.
The eye marvels at the beauty of its whiteness,
and the mind is amazed at its falling.
The cold wind blows from the north,
and ice forms on the water,
settling on every watery expanse,
and water puts it on like a breastplate.
He swallows up the mountains and scorches the desert,
like a fire he consumes the vegetation.
But the mist heals everything in good time,
after the heat falls the reviving dew.
By his own resourcefulness he has tamed the abyss,
and planted it with islands.
Those who sail the sea tell of its dangers,
their accounts fill our ears with amazement:
for there too there are strange and wonderful works,
animals of every kind and huge sea creatures.
Thanks to him all ends well,
and all things hold together by means of his word.
We could say much more and still fall short;
to put it concisely, ‘He is all.’
Where shall we find sufficient power to glorify him,
since he is the Great One, above all his works,
the awe-inspiring Lord, stupendously great,
and wonderful in his power?
Exalt the Lord in your praises
as high as you may – still he surpasses you.
Exert all your strength when you exalt him,
do not grow tired – you will never come to the end.
Who has ever seen him to give a description?
Who can glorify him as he deserves?
Many mysteries remain even greater than these,
for we have seen only a few of his works,
the Lord himself having made all things –
and having given wisdom to devout men.
From a Discourse Against the Pagans by Saint Athanasius, bishop
The Word creates a divine harmony in creation
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made. In these words John the theologian teaches that nothing exists or remains in being except in and through the Word.
Think of a musician tuning his lyre. By his skill he adjusts high notes to low and intermediate notes to the rest, and produces a series of harmonies. So too the wisdom of God holds the world like a lyre and joins things in the air to those on earth, and things in heaven to those in the air, and brings each part into harmony with the whole. By his decree and will he regulates them all to produce the beauty and harmony of a single, well-ordered universe. While remaining unchanged with his Father, he moves all creation by his unchanging nature, according to the Father’s will. To everything he gives existence and life in accordance with its nature, and so creates a wonderful and truly divine harmony.
To illustrate this profound mystery, let us take the example of a choir of many singers. A choir is composed of a variety of men, women and children, of both old and young. Under the direction of one conductor, each sings in the way that is natural for him: men with men’s voices, boys with boys’ voices, old people with old voices, young people with young voices. Yet all of them produce a single harmony. Or consider the example of our soul. It moves our senses according to their several functions so that in the presence of a single object they all act simultaneously: the eye sees, the ear hears, the hand touches, the nose smells, the tongue tastes, and often the other parts of the body act as well as, for example, the feet may walk.
Although this is only a poor comparison, it gives some idea of how the whole universe is governed. The Word of God has but to give a gesture of command and everything falls into place; each creature performs its own proper function, and all together constitute one single harmonious order.
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