Br. Manuel Ma.
Hornago, MMHC January, 2020
Christian Philosophy Rev. Fr. Anselm Ma. Galarosa, MMHC
Reflection on St. John Paul II’s Fides et Ratio:
We are in the midst of technological revolution which harnesses the power of science to unravel
the mysteries of life without any concern on the limits of human knowledge. We are in the time where
data and facts are already considered as a commodity, a source of living and easily accessed to the point
that people no longer value the toil and patience in enquiry into what makes these so called “truths”
worth believing. That’s why our generation is a generation very updated but easily deceived. Hence,
reading the encyclical of St. John Paul II made me realize the importance of having a good foundation of
philosophical and theological enquiry. Both disciplines are important for it will open our minds and
ground ourselves to what and where our life should be directed into. What we are right now in the 21st
century is nothing but a product of man rigorous desire to search for truth. Man himself is born to
wonder, to search for meaning in life and all of these are directed to one particular end that every
human wisdom must untangle.
The encyclical “Fides et Ratio” gives a brief account of the human drive to philosophize.
Rationality is man's basic virtue, the source of all his other virtues. This is a special gift entrusted to man
that sets him above any other creature. Thus, man being rational is always subject to unceasing activity
of philosophizing, especially about the mystery of one’s personal existence. Reasoning indeed has been
a significant tool to solve enquiries and validate ideas. It is considered always to be a solid ground to
back-up the beliefs of man. Many thinkers through the centuries were overwhelmed by the might of
reasoning. Science eventually became a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge born
out of man’s rationality in the form of testable explanations and predictions. On the other hand, we
could not negate the fact that reason itself has inherent limitations. Human knowledge can only fathom
wisdom that are only accessible to our limited understanding. But how about those that are hidden from
our common modes of thought?
Faith or complete trust and confidence in something or someone is based on spiritual
apprehension rather than proof. It sharpens the inner eye, opening the mind to discover the flux of
events revealed by God himself.
