God Cares for You

This article offers a Catholic perspective in response to the Jehovah’s witnesses’ article “God Cares for You,” which can be found here. The conversations herein aim to explore and clarify Catholic teachings on the nature of God, especially in relation to the Blessed Trinity, and how they differ from the views presented by Jehovah’s witnesses.

Conversation 1: Understanding God’s Nature

JW: The Bible shows that Jehovah God understands our thoughts and feelings. He is close to the brokenhearted. - Psalm 34:18.

Catholic: Indeed, God cares for us deeply. However, in Catholicism, we understand God as a Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each Person of the Trinity plays a unique role in our salvation and comfort. For example, Jesus, God the Son, became human to empathize with our sufferings (Hebrews 4:15).

JW: But doesn’t this divide God into three separate beings?

Catholic: Not at all. The Trinity is three Persons in one God, sharing the same divine nature. It’s like how the sun emits light and warmth - three manifestations, yet one entity (Matthew 28:19).

Conversation 2: God’s Personal Name

JW: Jehovah is God’s personal name, as Psalm 83:18 reveals.

Catholic: The Catholic Church recognizes YHWH as a name for God. However, we emphasize Jesus’ revelation of God as Father, enriching our understanding of God’s personal and relational nature (Matthew 6:9).

JW: Isn’t calling God ‘Father’ too informal?

Catholic: On the contrary, it signifies a deep, personal relationship, something Jesus himself taught us to cultivate (John 20:17).

Conversation 3: Dealing with Mental Health

JW: The article discusses how Jehovah helps with mental health issues.

Catholic: That’s important, and the Catholic Church also sees great value in prayer and scripture for mental health. However, we also believe in the sanctity of medical science as a means through which God provides healing (Sirach 38:1-15).

JW: Does that mean faith is secondary to medicine?

Catholic: Not at all. Faith and science work hand in hand. Prayer provides spiritual strength, while medical care addresses physical and mental health needs.

In conclusion, while Jehovah’s witnesses and Catholics share a belief in a caring God, significant differences exist in our understandings of God’s nature and how He interacts with us. Key Catholic teachings discussed include:

• The nature of the Trinity: God is one in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).
• God as Father: This highlights a personal, intimate relationship with God (Matthew 6:9).
• The balance of faith and science: The Catholic Church values both spiritual and medical means for healing (Sirach 38:1-15).

Scripture references from the Douay-Rheims Bible were used to support these teachings, providing a Catholic perspective on the Jehovah’s witnesses’ claims.