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I think that’s a lovely question.

I’ve chewed on it for a couple of years.

Here’s what I think. We’re never going to get it all right.

We just get better at it, those who do theology. But we don’t get “there.”

And we shouldn’t expect to. The sort of programmatic way of showing this is that the Truth is a person, and every person is unfathomable. How much more unfathomable is the Divine Truth.

To use the “fathoming” metaphor, all we can do is get longer and longer sounding lines, with better and better scoops to show us what lies at the bottom of this ocean. But we’ll never get it all

To use some practical examples: So, you understand the Trinity? The Hypostatic Union? You can “work” each doctrine confidently and faultlessly out to each application?

Not me! But, with guidance I get slightly less fuzzy pictures — not with the artificial crispness of heretical over-simplicity (Arianism really is simpler to understand. Fine, junior G-man demi god. No sweat) but just slightly better resolution on what I will never be able to see altogether, certainly not before death.

and the magisterium’s role, very practically, is not to give me the whole picture, but to guide and direct me as I get a WEE bit better and understanding how even an illegal immigrant is ‘due’ mercy, because of God’s love for him. I may not know yet how to show that mercy, but I’m working on that.

People think we are all about systems and philosophies. And I guess we are to some extent, but not ALL. But if YOU have a question about Mary or Jesus or virtue, the magisterium can probably help you take the next step with some confidence.

That’s my guess.