how and why are we to fight evil when God himself allows it. and Peter telling Jesus not to go to the cross was fighting evil but he was told he was not following God by fighting evil.
To understand how and why we are to fight evil, even though God allows it, and to reconcile this with the instance of Peter's rebuke of Jesus, it's important to consider the nature of evil, human freedom, and God's ultimate plan.
Here's a breakdown:
The Nature of Evil and Human Freedom
1 Evil as a Result of Freedom: Evil is not an impersonal force but a result of human freedom 1 2. God created humans with free will, which means we have the capacity to choose between good and evil 1.
2 Rejection of Love: At its core, evil is a rejection of love 1. Moral good, conversely, stems from love and is directed towards love 1.
3 Evil's Influence: Evil can appear to be ever-present, transcending individual responsibilities and seeming to originate from external powers 3. It works through human freedom, distorting love of neighbor and leading to falsehood, envy, hatred, and death 2.
Why Fight Evil?
1 Overcoming Evil with Good: We are called to overcome evil with good 2. This involves a conversion of heart, rejecting revenge, acknowledging faults, accepting apologies, and practicing forgiveness 2.
2 Love of Enemies: Christian love extends to loving one's enemies, feeding them if hungry and giving them drink if thirsty 1.
3 The Christian's Role: Christians are called to a particular relationship with the Lord and with each other, which entails striving for moral goodness and acting against evil 1.
God's Permission of Evil
1 Mystery of Evil: The existence of evil is a profound mystery, and there is no quick or easy answer to why God allows it 5.
2 God's Plan: Faith assures us that God would not permit evil if He did not intend to bring good out of it, though we may not fully understand this until eternal life 10.
3 Christ's Victory: God illuminates the mystery of evil through Jesus Christ, who died and rose to conquer evil 10.
Peter's Rebuke and the Understanding of God's Will
1 The Messiah's Path: Peter, like many, expected the Messiah to be a powerful figure who would liberate Israel. He was astonished and disturbed when Jesus spoke of His impending suffering, death, and resurrection 15 16.
2 Thinking as Humans, Not as God: When Peter rebuked Jesus, saying, "This must never happen to you," Jesus responded harshly, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things" 20. Jesus rebuked Peter because Peter was thinking in human terms rather than understanding God's divine plan 15 16. Peter was prioritizing his own expectations over accepting Jesus' mission of humility and suffering 13.
3 Following Christ's Example: Jesus's rebuke of Peter highlights the need to align our will with God's will, even when it involves suffering and sacrifice 13.
4 The Necessity of the Cross: Christ's suffering and death were essential for the redemption of humanity. To try to prevent the crucifixion was to obstruct God's plan for salvation 14.
Synthesis
We are called to fight evil by choosing good, love, and forgiveness 1 2. This fight is not about imposing our will on God but aligning ourselves with His will, even when it involves suffering 13. God permits evil for reasons that are often beyond our understanding, but He ultimately brings good out of it through Christ's victory over sin and death 10. Peter's rebuke of Jesus serves as a reminder to trust in God's plan, even when it contradicts our human expectations 15 16.
In summary, fighting evil means actively choosing good and love, while also accepting that God's plan may involve suffering. Peter's error was in trying to prevent the suffering that was essential to God's redemptive plan.
[1] XXXVIII World Day For Peace 2005,Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with the good 2
[2] Apostolic Journey to Lebanon: Meeting with members of the government, institutions of the Republic, the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and representatives of the world of culture (May 25th Hall of the Baabda Presidential Palace, 15 September 2012)
[3] Select Questions on the Theology of God the Redeemer I.8
[4] CCC 309
[5] CCC 324
[6] 11 September 1988: Holy Mass at the race course of Borrowdale Park in Harare (Zimbabwe) - Homily
[7] 11 September 1988, Holy Mass at the race course of Borrowdale Park in Harare (Zimbabwe) 3
[8] 29 June 2013: Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - Holy Mass and Imposition of the Pallium on New Metropolitan Archbishops 1
[9] General Audience of 17 May 2006: Peter, the fisherman
[10] Homily on "Father, if it be possible..." 2
No comments:
Post a Comment