Easter 2026 - Reading #19 - Knowledge
Reading
Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si', applies the gift of knowledge to our relationship with the created world: "The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person's face. The ideal is not only to pass from the exterior to the interior to discover the action of God in the soul, but also to discover God in all things."
Francis continues: "Saint Bonaventure teaches us that each creature bears in itself a specifically Trinitarian structure, so real that it could be readily contemplated if only the human gaze were not so partial, dark, and fragile. In this way, he points us towards the challenge of trying to read reality in a Trinitarian key."
The pope applies this vision practically: "If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously.
Reflection
Twenty days into Easter, Francis extends the gift of knowledge to the whole of creation. If knowledge enables us to see created things in relation to God, then it enables us to see nature not as a resource to be exploited but as a book to be read, a book whose every page speaks of the Father's love and wisdom.
This connects back to the gift of piety we received two weeks ago. If God is Father and all creation is his handiwork, then our relationship with the natural world is not merely ecological, it is familial. Francis echoes what Chesterton saw in Saint Francis of Assisi: the person who truly knows God sees God's signature everywhere. The mountain, the river, the face of a stranger, the flight of a bird, all of it is saturated with meaning for the person whose eyes have been opened by the gift of knowledge.
The practical implications are significant. A person animated by the gift of knowledge does not consume mindlessly or exploit carelessly, because they see what they are consuming and exploiting: the Father's gift. They treat creation with the reverence of someone handling a love letter, because that is what creation is. As we near the end of this week on knowledge, let the Spirit refine your vision. Look at the world around you, the natural world, the built world, the human world, and ask: What is God saying to me through this? The gift of knowledge promises that when you ask that question sincerely, the answer will come. Creation is not silent; we have simply forgotten how to listen.