Live 4 The LORD

Even to those who are evil, God does not abandon them [^2] [^12]. Here's how Catholic teaching addresses this:

*   **God's Sustaining Presence:** God sustains all of creation in existence, including those who turn away from Him [^2]. God's providence extends to all beings, regardless of their moral state [^2].

*   **Grace and Redemption:** God offers grace to all people, providing them with the opportunity to turn away from evil and embrace good [^17]. This offer of grace is a constant invitation to conversion and reconciliation [^19].

*   **Sacrament of Reconciliation:** The Church provides the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) as a means for those who have sinned to receive God's forgiveness and healing [^11] [^13] [^15]. This sacrament is a powerful sign of God's continuing love and mercy, even in the face of grave sin [^13] [^15].

*   **No Predestination to Evil:** God does not predestine anyone to evil or hell [^15]. Those who ultimately reject God do so through their own free choices [^15]. God respects human freedom, even when it leads people away from Him [^15].

*   **Mystery of Evil:** The fact that God permits moral evil is a mystery, but the Church teaches that God can bring good even out of evil [^3] [^4] [^8] [^10]. This is most evident in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through which God conquered sin and death [^4] [^8].

While God permits evil, He does so without being its cause [^7] [^10]. God's permission of evil is compatible with His goodness, as He orders evil towards a greater good [^1] [^5] [^6].

[^1] [CCC 312](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/0583c069-d4bf-42dd-97de-c19f0b80150f/ref/312)

[^2] [To the participants in the course on the internal Forum organized by the Apostolic Penitentiary (March 31, 2001) 2](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/0eaeab87-61eb-4015-a335-6b63754df559/ref/2)

[^3] [CCC 1999](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/0583c069-d4bf-42dd-97de-c19f0b80150f/ref/1999)

[^4] [To Bishops of Kenya on their ad Limina visit (December 6, 1982) - Speech 5](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/69af1d3d-c908-4481-b765-bad1754b3b4e/ref/5)

[^5] [To the Bishops of Portugal on their "ad Limina" visit (November 30, 1999) - Speech 4](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/a7c9405c-3474-4c55-a872-e38e98512513/ref/4)

[^6] [To His Eminence Cardinal William W. Baum (April 1, 2000) - Speech 5](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/3210e15f-d8dd-4395-bcdd-7be730e89342/ref/5)

[^7] [The New Evangelisation and the Sacrament of Penance Part I: 2](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/aa166dc6-0546-4a00-a9d3-2d4d841047e4/ref/Part%20I:%202)

[^8] [General Audience of 1st December 2010: Julian of Norwich ](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/e8eada4e-56a0-4f00-a2bd-dbf69a33df96/ref/)

[^9] [Compendium of the CCC 58](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/c6c4d3fe-2afe-4d7d-91b6-672dac04569c/ref/58)

[^10] [CCC 324](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/0583c069-d4bf-42dd-97de-c19f0b80150f/ref/324)

[^11] [Compendium of the CCC 57](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/c6c4d3fe-2afe-4d7d-91b6-672dac04569c/ref/57)

[^12] [Summa Theologiae I, Q. 19, A. 9, co.](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/dfb02adf-6576-4003-ba26-47374e984646/ref/I,%20Q.%2019,%20A.%209,%20co.)

[^13] [Compendium of Theology (Compendium Theologiae) Part I - Chapter 142](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/627e2ffb-8c05-4912-aaff-c0d44c38ad81/ref/Part%20I%20-%20Chapter%20142)

[^14] [Summa Contra Gentiles Book III. Chap. 141](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/f4d77af9-2eed-4f54-9a5e-e1305afd6f53/ref/Book%20III.%20Chap.%20141)

[^15] [The Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love 96](https://www.magisterium.com/docs/b6ab9d69-ea99-4b89-a27e-87c44955b74a/ref/96)