“I AM WHO AM” is the name God first used with Moses when speaking on Mount Sinai from the Burning Bush (Douay-Rheims, Exodus 3:14). This name reveals God’s eternal existence and His role as the Creator—the source of being for all creation. God always was, is, and always will be.
All existence requires a realm in which to exist. God, being uncreated, exists independently and possesses His own realm: the Supernatural Realm, which is exclusively His.
Among created realities, the Preternatural Realm was the first created realm. It surpasses the natural but does not belong to the supernatural. Here dwell spiritual beings and realities beyond our immediate understanding—angels and demons, the joys and trials of heaven and hell, and the mysteries of the soul’s journey beyond this life.
The Natural Realm is the created realm in which humans experience life. It is accessible to our five senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste—and includes the material world as well as the laws that govern it, such as gravity, mathematics, natural law, and principles of human liberty.
Supernatural
- Origin: Uncreated
- Description: Exists of God alone
- Nature: Spiritual
Preternatural
- Origin: Created
- Description: Beyond the Natural but not of the Supernatural; includes angels, demons, heaven, and hell
- Nature: Spiritual
Natural
- Origin: Created
- Description: The sensible world, most associated with matter, and including the human person who uniquely unites spirit and matter
- Nature: Spiritual and Matter
By understanding these realms, we begin to see the structure of reality through which God’s creation unfolds. The Natural, Preternatural, and Supernatural realms form a framework that will guide our exploration of the spiritual life and the mysteries that lie beyond what we can see.
Peace of Jesus in the womb of Mary be with you.
© 2026 Patrick A. O’Donnell Used with permission.
