Recently, as I walked to the first tee on the golf course, I heard a friend yell, “Father Gene, I desperately need to talk with you!” He wanted to know my take on the horrific events happening around the world recently.
My first thought was to tell him that we are experiencing the age-old problem of evil and the question of why a good God allows it. Why must innocent people die? Why do we experience the inhuman disrespect for life?
Since the beginning of time, great minds have tried to solve the problem of evil. Although they offer us valuable insights, they have never produced a satisfying answer. Why evil exists is a mystery, and as with so many mysteries, the best way to handle it is to accept the mystery and live with its puzzlement.
Not so mysterious is that evil makes us distraught. We must find the means for coping with our distress.
As human beings, we were born with a heart, not only to keep us alive physically but to enhance the life of others with its life-giving spirit. No matter where or what type of evil happens, it disturbs us because the very essence of our humanity is to care for one another.
Many people are looking for reasons to explain away evil, so as not to lose heart. There are also many people who have stopped questioning the unreasonable loss of life and are succumbing to depression, disillusionment and even suicide. How do we avoid becoming like this group?
One good means is to see life’s many dimensions and not be focused solely on evil. Although the hearts of millions of people are saddened by what’s happening in the world — wars, beheadings, persecution — their heart has not been hardened.
On the contrary, they are more caring and concerned about making the world better. They care about putting out an image of humanity at its best.
These people mirror Christ, who cared for the world to the point of dying for it and teaching us that God truly cares for us. He taught us that even suffering can bring out the best in humanity.
Another word for care is love. And love is the ultimate means for defeating evil. If we decide to look at the evils around us, we also must look for the good. We can find the good in the doctors and volunteers risking their lives in battles against diseases such as Ebola.
What we see on the news may be horrific. But stop and think: At the same time that evil things are happening, there is also humanitarian aid being flown to thousands of displaced people. Within refugee camps can be found those who are supporting one another, even though they themselves have nothing.
Such examples must be kept in mind. They contain the mystery of love conquering the mystery of evil.
