A few days ago, while surfing the net, I came across a one-line joke that sounded like this: “How can a religious man save Schrodinger’s cat? Pray before you open the box.” For those who are not familiar with quantum physics and the interesting disputes generated by its various interpretations, I want to start by saying a few words about the famous Schrodinger’s cat.

As the amazing discoveries of quantum mechanics point out, when not observed, atomic particles exist in all possible states. It is only the act of observation (or measurement) that forces a particle to collapse into a defined state. Schrodinger devised a thought experiment to show us the possible implications of this fact in everyday life. The experiment consists of placing a cat in a box sealed with a deadly mechanism. The probability of finding the cat dead or alive is 50-50. According to the principles of quantum mechanics, the cat is alive and dead at the same time until the box is opened and an observer enters the equation.

Of course, this hypothesis sounds absurd, as it completely defies common sense. According to everything that our experience and our senses tell us, a living being can be alive or dead, never both at the same time. Something may or may not exist. But again, don’t faith and prayer also defy common sense? Until God decides one way or another, we live in a world of infinite possibilities. As long as we have not opened the box, and the future is always a closed box for us, God has the power to change the course of events.

Many times, I found myself praying for the success of an event that had already occurred, such as an exam, surgery, etc. My common sense used to say, “What’s the point in praying for it now? Isn’t it a little late?” But there was another voice that resounded deep inside me, an inexplicable certainty that told me no, that it was not too late. Yes, the event could have taken place, but as long as I didn’t know the results, things could still turn around.

For God nothing is impossible. However, most of the time, he seems to prefer the more subtle miracles to those that blatantly defy the physical laws of the universe. That does not mean that the latter does not happen. They are a bit more rare. For some reason that only he knows, God prefers to work in mysterious ways, as hidden from our eyes as the fetus inside the womb and the seed that germinates in the womb of the Earth. This hidden space where God likes to perform most of his miracles is the unobserved reality, the world of infinite possibilities, the box where the cat is alive and dead.

So maybe, in fact, prayer can save Schrodinger’s cat. Once we have opened the box and the result is in front of our eyes, it is more difficult to change it. If the cat is dead, a miracle would imply a resurrection, which, in turn, would bring an absolute violation of physical laws. It’s not impossible, but it takes a lot of faith, much more than we can handle at best. But while the box is closed, God can work in his favorite way, mysteriously, and sprinkle our path with little miracles that can make our wavering faith grow stronger and stronger.

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