[I]f in his interpretation of the process of the Incarnation a Christian adopts the eminently justifiable point of view which rests on organic and physical analogies, then nothing in the world any longer subsists permanently for him apart from the unifying influence of Christ. Throughout the whole range of things Christ is the principle of universal consistence: ‘In eo omnia constant.’ For such a Christian, exactly as for the modern philosopher, the universe has no complete reality except in the movement which causes all its elements to converge upon a number of higher centers of cohesion (in other words, which spiritualizes them); nothing holds together absolutely except through the Whole; and the Whole itself holds together only through its future fulfillment. On the other hand, unlike the free-thinking philosopher, the Christian can say that he already stands in a personal relationship with the centre of the world; for him, in fact, that centre is Christ—it is Christ who in a real and unmetaphorical sense of the word holds up the universe. So incredible a cosmic function may well be too much for our imagination, but I do not see how we could possibly avoid attributing it to the Son of Mary. The Incarnate Word could not be the supernatural (hyper-physical) center of the universe if he did not function first as its physical, natural, center. Christ cannot sublimate creation in God without progressively raising it up by his influence through the successive circles of matter and spirit. That is why, in order to bring all things back to his Father, he had to make himself one with all—he had to enter into contact with every one of the zones of the created, from the lowest and most earthly to the zone that is closest to heaven.”

Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre (2002-11-18). Christianity and Evolution (Harvest Book, Hb 276) (Kindle Locations 880-892). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.