On the eve of a synod on the new evangelization, it is appropriate to ask ourselves if we can speak about God. Bearing in mind that God is an infinite being (therefore "absolutely simple" in the sense of "not composed" as are all creatures), who surpasses us in his reality, how is it possible that our words, in themselves always limited, are adequate to adequately express something of his being?

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes well the answer that can be given to this question, in n. 5:

"It is possible to speak of God to everyone and with everyone, starting from the perfections of man and other creatures, which are a reflection, albeit limited, of the infinite perfection of God. However, it is necessary to continually purify our language of all that is fanciful and imperfect, knowing full well that it can never fully express the infinite mystery of God."

Let us go in parts. First: "We can speak of God to everyone and with everyone, starting from the perfections of man and other creatures, which are a reflection, albeit limited, of the infinite perfection of God".

Since we are God's creatures, we are "images" of him (people: Genesis says that he created us in his image and likeness), or at least we bear the "traces" of our creator (other beings: animals, plants, the rest of the cosmos: stars, mountains, etc.). In other words, all things "reflect", although not perfectly, something of God.

Thus, when we see something beautiful, we can realize that God is "also like that", only much more, infinitely. When we see that a person works well, or has a good heart, we can realize without mistake that God is good and his heart is infinite. When we contemplate beautiful landscapes, or see them in a film like "The Road Home" (Wo de fu quin mu quin, The Road Home, Zhang Yimou, 1999) - which also shows great delicacy in the expression of human love - we can think and say without mistake: God is something like that, but much, much more, infinitely more.

A step forward: "However, it is necessary to continually purify our language of all that is fanciful and imperfect, knowing well that it will never be able to fully express the infinite mystery of God".

We have said that all beauty and goodness lead us to the beauty and goodness of God. But God is not beautiful "only" as are the stars, the mountains, the flowers or the stars... which are a "pale" reflection of his beauty. No matter how much we imagine, our fantasy will never give us an "entirely real" image of God, but only an approximate one.

Here below, on earth, says St. Paul, we can "see" God (through created things, especially if they are illuminated by the realities of faith), but always "in the shadows. Then, in heaven, we will see him "face to face" (1 Cor 13:12; cf. 1 Jn 3:2), that is, as he really is.

At summary: our language can express true things about God, starting from the perfections in the things we see. But at the same time, precisely because created things are not perfect (they are not God), we must always correct our "look" and keep in mind, when we speak of God (even if we do not always say so), that God is always "much more" than what I am seeing, than what I am feeling, than what I am speaking.

This is how we understand what the Catechism says in n. 43, quoting St. Thomas Aquinas: in reality, when we grasp something of God's perfections through his creatures, we should remember that God is "something like that," but it is also certain, and much more certain, that this "is not God"; because God is always much more, he has that good that we grasp but he surpasses it in infinite dimension, he is something unimaginable, that surpasses us on all sides. At the same time, we must keep in mind that God has made himself close and accessible to us, visible! in Jesus: his friends touched him, the hemorrhoid was cured by touching only the corner of his cloak. God was a child "like" the others! Jesus used a human language: Aramaic!

In conclusion: we should not be afraid to "talk to God" (Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in prayer) and "talk about God", especially with our relatives and friends. Certainly, we cannot pretend that what we say is capable of describing His infinite beauty, goodness and truth, because we are little, our experience is limited and our language is also limited, but what we say can be true, even if it is not capable of reaching all the Truth, Goodness and Beauty of God.

In fact, our language is not "all wrong" especially when we use the words that God Himself wanted us to use, because they are used in the Sacred Scripture or in the Tradition of the Church. This is particularly the case when we use the simple yet profound language that Jesus himself used to speak to Mary and Joseph, to his disciples, to the people around him.

When Jesus spoke of the loaves and fishes, of the wine, of life, etc., everyone understood those words. And at the same time, his language was very profound: it was God speaking with a human language in a double dimension: the language of his love and of his submission, supported by the language of his words. A language so profound that we continue to discover"new things" in what he told us, and we will continue to do so until the end of the world, especially Christians, with the financial aid of the Holy Spirit, in the Church.

Christians can speak of God, to the extent that our life is authentically Christian, coherent. Because then our "first word" will be our life, with its deeds. And then, our words "about God" will not only be adequate, but will have a divine efficacy, because they will be an explanation of the life we live with Christ; and therefore, they will lead many to Him. Christ was (is!) "the Word" of God made flesh. And he wants that word to continue incarnating and resounding through our life and our words.