The Details Matter
As I was preparing for my talk this week on the Trinity, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to say. With such a difficult topic to speak on, I knew I had to be careful with how I talked about this great mystery to ensure that I got the information across and without saying a heresy accidentally. I think I did a decent job overall, but what struck me while I was doing research was how important the details mattered to the early Church Fathers. St Athanasius was willing to be exiled 5 separate times for a total of 17 years on false charges because he argued that Jesus was homoousios not homoiousios. He let his life be turned upside down over a single letter, claiming Jesus was consubstantial with the Father rather than being of similar substance. I know this seems like a minor thing , but this distinction ended up becoming a part of the Church’s doctrine on the Trinity. He wasn’t some massively educated man, he was a deacon during the Council of Nicaea, surrounded by some of the greatest minds of the Church at the time and he was the one who championed this detail.
Even though I went to Franciscan University, I never really spent much time studying theology. Now that I work for a parish, pursuing a certification in Theology and helping to lead OCIA, I really wish I had taken that time to learn more. St. Anselm famously said, “Faith seeks understanding.” Many people struggle with doubts or misconceptions about Catholicism simply because they have never had the opportunity—or taken the time—to learn. Understanding doctrines like the Eucharist, the Trinity, and the Church’s moral teachings allows us to embrace the faith fully rather than remaining on the surface. When we neglect these details, we risk reducing Catholicism to just another generic self-help philosophy rather than a transformative encounter with Christ. The Catholic faith is not just a vague spirituality but a revealed truth, handed down through Scripture, Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church. If we claim to love Christ, it only makes sense to desire to know Him more deeply. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the writings of the saints, and the wisdom of theologians provide insight into how we are called to live, pray, and grow in holiness.
Our Faith is not just a label or a cultural identity—it is a way of life rooted in truth. The more we learn about the faith, the more we can love God with our whole heart, mind, and soul. Growing in knowledge is not about accumulating facts but about deepening our relationship with Christ and living out His call with conviction. By committing to learning the details of our faith, we equip ourselves to live, defend, and share the truth in a world that desperately needs it. Everywhere on social media, in public or even within my friends and family, I hear people making gross generalizations about the Church, Jesus’s teachings, and how Christians behave that are so so wrong. Now some of them are just arguing in bad faith to get a rise out of us and no amount of learning about the faith is going to change that. Some people will simply refuse to engage in meaningful dialogue and only want to tear you and the Church down because they are angry or are in need of healing that only God can provide. For them I refer you to Matthew 7:6: “Do not give dogs what is sacred.” The disciples shouldn’t offer what is holy (the message of the gospel) to dogs (those who have shown that they consider it worthless). Jesus reiterated this principle in a more straightforward way later in His ministry, saying, “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town” (Matthew 10:14). However, when you do find someone who genuinely has a question and is seeking to understand the Faith better, are you equipped to talk to them and help? I’m not suggesting we all need to be scholars in every single area of the vast scripture and tradition of the Faith, but I am suggesting that in a world that desperately is looking for answers, God is challenging us to be able to provide them. How are we as His followers responding to that challenge?
Yours in Christ,
Andrew
