Cycles

The New Cyclic Encyclical agrees with Hindu and Buddhist teachers that all existence is cyclic. The traditional metaphor is the wheel of existence with spokes that span the orders of creation. There is no beginning nor end; there is only an endless circle that we can’t see with our small eyes. As if we were all insects stuck on the tire of a large unicycle, we couldn’t see who’s pedaling; we couldn’t see who’s steering; we could only praise God to know we’re part of His plan. It remains to be seen whether later encyclicals will adopt related ideas of karma and reincarnation. Catholics everywhere await, although some are getting ahead by learning to pray in yoga poses.