You might wonder why the bond between man and God seems so weak.  We claim that it’s an integral part of us, yet many people go throughout a day without ever thinking about it.  If it’s a part of our human make-up, why is it so easy to ignore or forget.

The answer is original sin.  It was when we discovered sin that we trumped our ties with God.  The ‘tree of knowledge’ is a play on words.  Yes, we became knowledgeable about sin…but we became naïve at the same time.  We lost much of our ability to see and recognize truth, because sin has such a strong hold on us.  Sin became a veil that distorted our knowledge.

Of course, this veil has varying degrees of thickness…and frequent use of the sacraments can minimize its effects.  Acts of charity and practice of the other virtues can help us see more clearly.  

Look through history at the doctors of the church.  We read their masterpieces and marvel at their brilliance.  But looking into their lives, we see that they were not focused on their writings.  The faith that they practiced is what led them to their understanding of it, and so allowed them to pass their knowledge down to us.  Thomas Aquinas didn’t just write about God, he lived about God.  Even Augustine wasn’t able to see the truth until he had accepted it and strive to practice it.  Their bonds with God was nourished and strengthened.  

On the other side of the coin, we see those opposed to Catholicism and find their views somewhat contorted.  Their version of truth is generally twisted around their rationale.  And you see in their lives a definite weakening in their bonds to God.  They are more bound to their own passions or convictions.

The point is that the bonds between God and man, the ability to see and understand truth, and the practice of this truth form a triangle.  Strengthen one, and you strengthen all three.  Weaken one, and it just might fall apart.