The nature of anything is the purpose for which it is made or created.
The nature of the chair is to be sat upon to give rest or comfort to the ‘seater’.
It becomes more complicated and difficult when we try to define the nature of more complex objects.
Is the nature of a tree to give fruits, lumber, shade and oxygen to humans or is it to bear fruits to propagate itself?
Or is it just a tree unto itself?
Is the nature of a star to just burn for millions of years to give light and energy to everything surrounding it?
Or, is it to finally explode to give rise to stardust that will give form to new beings, including humans? Or is a star also a being unto itself?
What is the nature of man? Is it to know, love and serve God as the Catechism teaches us? Or is it to drink and be merry for tomorrow we die? Or is man just a random accident in the universe?
Why do I bother with these questions any way? I feel that having a serious answer to these questions make a real difference in how I live out my life. Will I be content with the shallows or will I venture out into the depths? Will I be content with just a piece or will I try to go for the whole.
Wholeness. Holiness. Fullness.