How can we be sure that Earth is the only planet where human life exists?

Dear Father Angelo,

the universe is full of planets and celestial bodies, and it is said that they could be inhabited…

How can we be sure that Earth is the only planet where human life exists?

After all, the entire history of salvation concerns the planet where we live, where Jesus was born, where his life unfolded, where God rested his gaze.

In Rome we have the Pope, everything takes place here. So? How can we explain all that?

Thank you for your answer.

Praise be to Jesus Christ.

Rosa

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Answer from the priest

Dear Rosa,

1. it cannot be ruled out that other inhabited planets exist.

But it is necessary to provide evidence.

Of course, if only Earth were populated, it would be touching to think that God created the universe so grand and so perfect, for it to be inhabited by mankind.

2. Psalm 8 might lead one to think that Earth is the only inhabited planet.

That psalm, which is by David, begins with these words: “O Lord, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! I will sing of your majesty above the heavens”

The greatness of God is admired both on Earth and in Heaven.

Then it continues: “with the mouths of babes and infants. You have established a bulwark against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger.”

Yes, the greatness of God is so manifest that even children acknowledge it in amazement and wonder.

This naive testimony of children overflows to the confusion and shame of the enemies of God who do not want to recognize his existence nor his greatness.

This had already occurred at the time of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the children shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David,” while the indignant chief priests and scribes said to Jesus: “Do you hear what they are saying?”. Jesus said to them, “Yes; and have you never read the text, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise’?” And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night” (Mt 21:16-17).

3. The psalm continues: “When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place—What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him?”

The philosopher E. Kant, who, due to the premises he put forward, asserted that we can only know what appears (the phenomenon) but not the substance of things (the noumenon), and thus was not able to prove the existence of God, nevertheless said that “the starry sky” spoke to him about God.

The stars, which in millions and myriads are all in motion, each rotating according to its own orbit set by God, are a perennial hymn to the Creator.

4. Why all this? Here is the reason: “What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him little less than a god, crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him rule over the works of your hands, put all things at his feet”.

David is amazed that God, almost leaving aside the majesty of the starry sky, looks with such love at man, who is so small, and does not abandon him to his own devices.

However, man is made little less than a God because he is endowed with intellect and will. He is made in the image and likeness of God and for this very reason all things are placed at his feet.

All creation, the entire universe, is in the service of man, so that by considering the visible perfections of creatures he is able to understand the invisible perfections of God, such as his “eternal power and divinity” (Rom 1:20).

5. So that “all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan” (Wis 13:1).

“Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them.

Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them.

For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.” (Wis 13:3-5).

6. All of that, without putting limits to divine omnipotence, pushes us to think about the greatness of man and the boundless love of God towards him.

This, however.

I bless you and remember you in prayer.

Father Angelo

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