Divine providence and the mystery of evil

The close of the account of the six days in Genesis: the sacred author’s judgment on creation as a whole. The Church takes it as the starting point for any teaching on evil. It bears on the teaching that God created all things good.

And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good.

Joseph’s words to his brothers in Genesis, spoken after they had sold him into Egypt. The Catechism later cites this episode on God’s bringing good out of evil. It bears on the teaching that divine providence directs even the sins of creatures to good without causing them.

Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation.

Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God: who hath made me as it were a father to Pharao, and lord of his whole house, and governor in all the land of Egypt.

And he answered them: Fear not: can we resist the will of God? You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that he might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people. Fear not: I will feed you and your children. And he comforted them, and spoke gently and mildly.

The Book of Job in the Douay-Rheims: Job’s blessing of the Lord in loss and his confession at the end. The Church reads it as the scriptural example of suffering borne in faith. It bears on the teaching that God’s permission of evil is a mystery.

And said: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord, so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord. In all these things Job sinned not by his lips, nor spoke he any foolish thing against God.

And he said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women: If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? In all these things Job did not sin with his lips.

I know that thou canst do all things, and no thought is hid from thee. Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have spoken unwisely, and things that above measure exceeded my knowledge.

The Book of Wisdom on the origin of death, kept from God and ascribed to the envy of the devil. It stands in the sapiential books of the Old Covenant. It bears on the teaching that God is not the author of evil.

For God made not death, neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living. For he created all things that they might be: and he made the nations of the earth for health: and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor kingdom of hell upon the earth.

For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his own likeness he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world: And they follow him that are of his side.

The Book of Wisdom on divine wisdom ordering all things and on God’s mercy toward all he has made. It is a chief scriptural witness to providence in the Old Covenant. It bears on the teaching that God governs and cares for every creature.

She reacheth, therefore, from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.

For the whole world before thee is as the least grain of the balance, and as a drop of the morning dew, that falleth down upon the earth. But thou hast mercy upon all, because thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance. For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made: for thou didst not appoint, or make any thing hating it. And how could any thing endure, if thou wouldst not? or be preserved, if not called by thee? But thou sparest all: because they are thine, O Lord, who lovest souls.

But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves, Shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea, though a man went to sea without art.

Saint Paul’s teaching in Romans on God’s purpose for those who love him, and on the love of Christ from which nothing can separate them. The Catechism cites it on providence. It bears on the teaching that God turns all things to the good of the elect.

And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us? He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?

Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? Or distress? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or danger? Or persecution? Or the sword? (As it is written: For thy sake, we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)

The Epistle of Saint James on temptation, which distinguishes the gifts of the Father of lights from the concupiscence of man. It is the scriptural basis for the teaching that God is not a tempter. It bears on the teaching that God is in no way the cause of sin.

Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God. For God is not a tempter of evils: and he tempteth no man. But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured. Then, when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death. Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren. Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change nor shadow of alteration.

Our Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew, on the Father’s care for the birds and the grass. It is the passage the Catechism cites for abandonment to divine providence. It bears on the teaching that God provides for each creature.

Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment? Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they?

And if the grass of the field, which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith? Be not solicitous therefore, saying: What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

Our Lord’s words to the apostles in Matthew as he sends them out, on the sparrows and the hairs of the head. It is a Gospel witness to the extent of providence. It bears on the teaching that it reaches to the least of creatures.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.

In Acts the apostles speak of the Passion of Christ as under the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God and as the act of wicked men. It is a scriptural instance of the divine permission of sin. It bears on the teaching that God’s plan uses sins without causing them.

This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain.

For of a truth there assembled together in this city against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, To do what thy hand and thy counsel decreed to be done.