By Ginny Novak, MA
“Finding God in all things.”
~St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits
“Contemplation is a long, loving look at the real.”
~Walter Burghardt, SJ, theologian
“Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe.”
Galileo, scientist
Using these three seemingly unrelated phrases, I’d like to suggest a deep connection between mathematics and spirituality and share how awareness of this link has been a gift for me.
Of course, I realize that many who have struggled with algebra, geometry, or differential equations might look at a math problem and conclude that the longer they look, the less they see the real connection with life, or furthermore with spirituality.
They might see Ignatius’ statement as a challenge — like “Okay, maybe using the discipline of math will help me to be disciplined in prayer”— but they wouldn’t connect that with spirituality.
And Galileo’s statement about math being “the language of God” might be puzzling at best.
But consider this:
Take a long, loving look at a flower. Almost any flower. What do you notice? Most have a radial symmetry… for example, a daisy, a chrysanthemum, a sunflower, a lotus. There seems to be an order, a unity, a perfection in each of them.
And how about the study of geometry —lines, perfect angles, circles? Geometric shapes are prolific in nature. Look at beehives, snowflakes, crystals. Again, there is beauty and order. What does this stir in you? Is this a wonder?
There is a sequence of numbers (Fibonacci series) in geometry that for unknown reasons appears regularly in nature (and also in music) — like in the number of petals on a flower. There is certainly mystery in this.
And consider the sky and what we know about the moon and the tides, the planets, and the stars. Does the order and beauty of the universe inspire awe and wonder? And is this awe magnified when we know that their movements can all be calculated and predicted by mathematical measurements and calculations and elegant math structures? Can we see the hand of God in this?
Some mathematicians and scientists believe that these mathematical constructs are not just human constructs but discoveries of pre-existing realities. They suggest a divine order.
Joannes Kepler boldly wrote: “Geometry existed before the Creation. It is co-eternal with the mind of God… Geometry provided God with a model for the Creation…”
Pondering all this — the reality, the truth, the beauty, the mystery, the surprise of mathematics in the natural world — fills me with wonder and awe for the Creator God. I want to continue being astonished, and I hope you will be, too. And so, I leave you with this Scripture passage:
“…Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ~Philippians 4:8
Ginny Novak, a spiritual director at Bon Secours, holds a BA in Mathematics from Wilkes University and an MA in Statistics from University of Maryland. Before training as a Spiritual Director, Ginny was (among other things) an occasional math teacher for GED, high school, and college. She will be a director at the August Directed Retreat at the Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center.