	through	God's	providential	governance	of	the	created	order	within	which we	exist. For	Benedict	XVI,	these	important	implications	of	the	Augustinian-Thomistic account	of	law	are	directly	connected	to	a	key	lesson	from	Trinitarian	theology. According	to	this	theology,	every	created	being,	each	in	its	own	way,	imitates	the super-abundant,	self-communicative	activity	of	the	triune	God.	Because	God	is	love, "He	does	not	live	in	splendid	solitude,"	but	is	essentially	self-giving,	selfcommunicating,	and	relational.	We	can	perceive	this	basic	truth,	says	Benedict	XVI (2009c), by	observing	both	the	macro-universe:	our	earth,	the	planets,	the	stars,	the galaxies;	and	the	micro-universe:	cells,	atoms,	elementary	particles.	The	"name" of	the	Blessed	Trinity	is,	in	a	certain	sense,	imprinted	upon	all	things	because	all that	exists,	down	to	the	last	particle,	is	in	relation;	in	this	way	we	catch	a	glimpse of	God	as	relationship	.	.	.	. In	another	context,	Benedict	XVI	(2007b,	265)	observes	that	human	beings possess	their	very	being	and	essence	only	by	virtue	of	relationships	with	other	beings and	thus	only	within	a	larger,	ordered	whole:	"Human	beings	are	relational,	and	they possess	their	lives-themselves-only	by	way	of	relationship." THE	HUMAN	BEING'S	UNIQUE	DIGNITY	AND	INTELLECTUAL
through 	 God's 	 providential 	 governance 	 of 	 the 	 created 	 order 	 within 	 which we 	 exist. For 	 Benedict 	 XVI, 	 these 	 important 	 implication 	 of 	 the 	 Augustinian - Thomistic explanation 	 of 	 law 	 are 	 directly 	 connected 	 to 	 a 	 cardinal 	 lesson 	 from 	 Trinitarian 	 theology. According 	 to 	 this 	 theology, 	 every 	 created 	 organism, 	 each 	 in 	 its 	 own 	 room, 	 imitates 	 the ace - abundant, 	 self - communicative 	 natural process 	 of 	 the 	 triune 	 God. 	 Because 	 God 	 is 	 love, " He 	 does 	 not 	 be 	 in 	 splendid 	 solitude, " 	 but 	 is 	 essentially 	 self - give, 	 selfcommunicating, 	 and 	 relational. 	 We 	 can 	 perceive 	 this 	 basic 	 truth, 	 says 	 Benedict 	 XVI (2009c), by 	 note 	 both 	 the 	 macro - universe: 	 our 	 earth, 	 the 	 planets, 	 the 	 star, 	 the galaxies; 	 and 	 the 	 micro - universe: 	 cells, 	 atoms, 	 elementary 	 particle. 	 The 	 " name " of 	 the 	 Blessed 	 Trinity 	 is, 	 in 	 a 	 certain 	 sense, 	 imprinted 	 upon 	 all 	 thing 	 because 	 all that 	 exists, 	 down 	 to 	 the 	 last 	 particle, 	 is 	 in 	 relation; 	 in 	 this 	 way 	 we 	 trip up 	 a 	 glimpse of 	 God 	 as 	 relationship 	. 	. 	. 	. In 	 another 	 context, 	 Benedict 	 XVI 	 (2007b, 	 265) 	 observes 	 that 	 human 	 beings possess 	 their 	 very 	 being 	 and 	 essence 	 only 	 by 	 virtue 	 of 	 relationships 	 with 	 other 	 beings and 	 thus 	 only 	 within 	 a 	 larger, 	 ordered 	 whole: 	 " Human 	 beings 	 are 	 relational, 	 and 	 they own 	 their 	 liveliness - themselves - only 	 by 	 room 	 of 	 kinship. " THE 	 HUMAN 	 organism'S 	 UNIQUE 	 DIGNITY 	 AND 	 INTELLECTUAL
	thrlugh	God's	providential	govevnance	of	the	creatgd	irder	wmthin	whjch we	exkst. For	Benedict	XVI,	these	imporvant	umplixations	of	the	Augustiniav-Thomistib account	if	lax	are	directly	connxdted	to	a	key	lesaln	frmn	Trinitarian	thgology. Accorging	to	this	theonoey,	zvery	created	being,	each	in	its	own	way,	imitwtes	the skper-abundant,	sejf-cokiunidative	activity	of	the	triune	God.	Becauss	God	is	lmve, "He	does	not	kive	in	splendid	solitude,"	but	id	essfntially	self-giving,	delfcommunixatigt,	and	relationxl.	We	can	perbzive	this	basjc	truth,	says	Benedict	XVI (2009c), by	obsefving	yoth	the	macri-ubivftse:	our	earth,	tie	planvts,	the	stars,	thc galaxhes;	and	tne	micro-universc:	cellv,	atims,	elementary	particlev.	The	"name" of	the	Blesfed	Trinitf	ia,	in	a	certain	sense,	inpeinteg	upot	all	gyines	btcanse	zll thwt	eeists,	down	to	fhe	last	partucle,	is	in	relation;	in	tnif	qay	we	catch	a	gljmpse jf	Dod	as	relationship	.	.	.	. In	another	context,	Benedpct	XBI	(2007b,	265)	observes	that	human	beibgs possess	their	very	bging	and	essqnce	only	by	virtue	of	relationships	with	other	beings ang	thus	kvly	clbhin	x	oagger,	ordered	whole:	"Human	beings	are	relational,	and	thqg kosxess	their	lives-bhemselves-only	by	wau	ov	rrjationship." THG	HUMAN	BZJNF'S	UNIQUE	DIGNITY	AND	LNTELLESTUAL
through God's providential governance of the created which exist. For XVI, these important of are directly connected a key lesson Trinitarian theology. According to this theology, created being, each in its own way, imitates the super-abundant, self-communicative activity of triune God. Because God is love, "He does not live in splendid solitude," is self-giving, and We can perceive this basic truth, says Benedict XVI (2009c), by observing both the macro-universe: our the planets, the stars, the galaxies; and the cells, atoms, elementary particles. "name" of the Blessed Trinity in certain sense, upon things all that exists, to the last particle, is in relation; in this way we catch a glimpse of God as . . In another Benedict (2007b, observes that human their very being and essence only relationships with other beings and thus only within larger, ordered "Human beings are relational, and they their lives-themselves-only by way of relationship." THE HUMAN UNIQUE DIGNITY AND INTELLECTUAL
	through	God's	providential	goVernance	of	The	crEatEd	oRdEr	wiThin	Which we	exist. FoR	beneDict	XVI,	these	important	iMplicAtIOns	oF	ThE	AuguStinian-tHoMIStiC aCcOunT	oF	LaW	are	dIreCtly	conNected	to	a	kEy	lEsSon	from	TriniTArIan	theologY. AcCording	to	thiS	thEology,	EvEry	CReateD	beIng,	eaCh	in	itS	Own	way,	Imitates	tHe SUper-abUNdant,	seLF-CoMmunIcative	activity	of	THe	TRiune	God.	BecausE	God	is	LoVE, "HE	DOes	Not	Live	in	spleNdId	solITude,"	but	IS	eSSENtiALly	self-giving,	SelfcommuniCAtiNg,	and	rElAtiONal.	We	cAn	perCeIVe	tHis	basic	truTh,	saYs	BenedicT	XVI (2009c), bY	ObserviNG	both	thE	macro-UniVerSe:	ouR	EaRtH,	thE	pLAneTS,	tHe	sTArs,	The galaxIeS;	aNd	the	MicrO-UNIVersE:	ceLls,	aToms,	eLementary	partIclEs.	ThE	"NamE" of	thE	BlesSed	TRiNity	iS,	in	a	ceRtain	SeNse,	imprinted	upoN	all	Things	becAusE	aLl tHaT	exisTS,	down	tO	thE	laSt	partiCle,	is	in	RElaTiON;	IN	tHis	way	we	catch	a	glimPsE OF	GOd	as	relaTionshIP	.	.	.	. IN	aNOther	conTeXt,	BEnedICT	XVI	(2007b,	265)	ObseRVeS	that	humAn	beinGS pOsSess	theIr	Very	beInG	anD	esSence	ONly	bY	virtuE	of	relatIonshIPs	with	other	beiNGs and	thus	only	WItHIN	a	LArgeR,	orDered	whole:	"HUman	BEingS	are	RElAtiONal,	anD	they PoSSeSS	their	lives-themselvEs-Only	by	Way	of	Relationship." ThE	HUMAN	BEIng's	uNIQUE	DIgNITy	aNd	iNTELLECTUAL
	through	God's	providentia l	governan ce	of 	th e	c re ated 	ord er	within	whic h  weexist. For	Benedict	XV I,	th es e 	imp o rt ant	i mplicat i on s ofth eAug us t in ian-T hom istic a ccount	oflaw 	a re	directlyc on nected	toa	k ey	lesson	fr omTrinit ar ian theol ogy . Acc ording to	thi s	theolog y, everyc reatedb e in g,	e ach	in	its	own	wa y ,i mitates	the su per-ab un d an t , 	se lf- communicat iv e	act i vity	of th e t riu n e	God.	Becaus e	God	is	lo v e,"He	do es 	no t 	livein	sp le n did 	solitude," 	but 	is	essen tially self-gi v ing,	se lfcomm uni cat ing, an drel at i ona l .Wec anperceive 	t hi s	bas ic	t r u t h ,	sa ysBene dictXVI (2009c),byobse r vin g	bot h	the 	mac ro -univ erse:our	e ar th,	the	planets ,	th e	stars,the  g ala xi es;	a n d	themic ro- univers e:	cell s ,	a to m s , 	e lementary	particle s. T he 	"name"of	the Bl es s ed	Trini ty 	is ,	in a 	cert ains en se,	impr intedu po nall	thi ng s	beca us e	a llthate xist s,	dow n	to	the 	last particle,	is	i n 	relation;	in th i s 	w a y	we 	ca tch	a	glimp se o f 	God 	asr el ati o nship 	.	...  I n 	another	context,	B en edictXVI	( 2007b,	265)	o bserves	th a t human	be ings po s sess	their	ver y	bei ng	and	ess e nce	only 	by	v irtue	of 	relation s h ips	with 	ot her 	be ing s an d	thus	only	w i t hinalarger, 	or dered	w hol e:"Hu man 	b eings	are 	relatio na l, 	a nd 	th ey po s sess	the ir 	li ve s-t hemse l ves-on ly	by 	way 	o fr ela tionshi p ." T HE	H UM AN 	BEI NG' SUNIQU E	DI G NIT Y	AND	I NTELLECTU AL
	through	God's	providential	governance	of	the	created	order	within	which we	exist._For	Benedict	XVI,	these	important	implications	of	the	Augustinian-Thomistic account	of	law	are	directly	connected	to	a	key	lesson	from	Trinitarian	theology._According	to	this	theology,	every	created	being,	each	in	its	own	way,	imitates	the super-abundant,	self-communicative	activity	of	the	triune	God.	Because	God	is	love, "He	does	not	live	in	splendid	solitude,"	but	is	essentially	self-giving,	selfcommunicating,	and	relational.	We	can	perceive	this	basic	truth,	says	Benedict	XVI (2009c),_by	observing	both	the	macro-universe:	our	earth,	the	planets,	the	stars,	the galaxies;	and	the	micro-universe:	cells,	atoms,	elementary	particles.	The	"name"_of	the	Blessed	Trinity	is,	in	a	certain	sense,	imprinted	upon	all	things	because	all_that	exists,	down	to	the	last	particle,	is	in	relation;	in	this	way	we	catch	a	glimpse of	God	as	relationship	.	.	.	._In	another	context,	Benedict	XVI	(2007b,	265)	observes	that	human	beings_possess	their	very	being	and	essence	only	by	virtue	of	relationships	with	other	beings and	thus	only	within	a	larger,	ordered	whole:	"Human	beings	are	relational,	and	they possess	their	lives-themselves-only	by	way	of	relationship."_THE	HUMAN	BEING'S	UNIQUE	DIGNITY	AND	INTELLECTUAL