Question 7 – Can a human being meet God? – Blog Series “52 Questions and Answers About Faith”

Continuing with the exploration and reflection through a series of articles written in a conversational language about Catholicism, about God, about Jesus, about the Church and many other faith related topics. Here we present:

Question 7 – Can a human being meet God? 

Every human being can meet God*. This happens all the time, even though most people are unaware of it. Christians believe that experiencing deep joy has to do with experiencing God’s presence. This is especially true for joy that leaves a good aftertaste following the event that caused the joy. You can experience that joy while praying* or in the church* but just as well at work, in the kitchen, in a museum or walking in nature. That joy can be strong. It is often quiet and almost unnoticeable. Joy that continues to resonate says something about where and how God is present in a person’s life.

Some people have a special gift for experiencing God’s presence, a gift so strong that they describe that experience as a union with God. This union is both physical and emotional, and is always unexpected. Such a person is called a mystic. These mystics can be found in all major religions, but especially in Christianity*. Typically, these people are very discreet about it. It is so intimate that they prefer to keep it to themselves. There are few people to whom this is given.

– Being close, or more distant from God, what does that mean for you?
– Have you ever had an experience that you would describe as an encounter of God?

Feel free to leave your thoughts, reflections or comments below.


Watch this space! Coming up:
Question 8 – Did God create the world in seven days?

Follow these links to go back to Question 1 – Is believing exceptional? , Question 2 – Is Faith for simple souls? , Question 3 – Can you be a Christian and yet doubt your faith? , Question 4 – Can a believer be critical?Question 5 – Can faith and science get along? and Question 6 – Are you born a Christian?

If you wish to learn more about this resource follow this link  “52 Questions and Answers about faith

About the author:

Nikolaas Sintobin, SJ, joined the Society of Jesus in 1989, following a short career as a lawyer. He was trained as a Jesuit in Brussels, Paris, and Santiago de Chile. Today he is a spiritual director who is keenly interested in online ministry and discovering new ways to help people find God.

This text is republished with the permission of Messenger Publications, Ireland. To buy a hard copy of the book click here.