MaxPC wrote:In the discussion of
court rulings it had me thinking about our own catechetical definition of why God permits evil? Here's what our catechism says:
Why does God permit evil?
Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil. This was realized in a wondrous way by God in the death and resurrection of Christ. In fact, from the greatest of all moral evils (the murder of his Son) he has brought forth the greatest of all good (the glorification of Christ and our redemption).
Further reading: CCC 311-314, 324
What are your thoughts? I'm not looking for debates, just your impressions of this question.
as an adult, in a time of awful pain, in the process of personal study of the Book of Hosea, it dawned on me, as i read about God’s plan for Gomer ..
God uses pain for 1 purpose: to draw us closer to Him.
this was a watershed moment for me! and, i’m so thankful for it.
because, following that time, quite a lot of pain+struggle followed, for me and my family, beyond anything we’d imagined. during my husband’s lengthy illness, so many times, i was thankful we had our faith going into it! it sustained us throughout.
what a struggle for those to face horrible things without faith to carry them?! i have witnessed this. the deep despair. it’s heartbreaking.
i do not see a conflict between your OP view and mine.
on MD, i learned from some other members about the Book of Hosea as a metaphor.
i’m still learning.
but, in everyday life, when i’m able and the question arises, i share this view.
that i believe God allows us pain in order to bring us closer to Him.
i pray that, if we are not Hoseas, that we should all become Gomers!
