Fulton Sheen once asked, “What purpose did God have in mind in making this kind of world?” The Archbishop answered, “simply that God intended to construct a moral universe.” In order to create a moral universe, God had to create man free and the master of his own fate, the caretaker of his own virtue.
Archbishop Sheen continues, God created “His subjects able to act against His will, as stars and atoms cannot, … [with the] possibility given to them to break allegiance, in order that there be meaning and glory in that allegiance they freely choose to give it.” This is the story of Genesis, the story of Israel, the story of salvation history, and the story of each of us.
It is because of the freedom of man that evil, chaos and death entered the world. They are bound to the freedom of man. If man is to choose between good and evil, man must be presented with good and evil; if he is choose between love and hate, he must be presented with love and hate; and the same follows for justice and unrighteous, and life and death. God created man with the power make himself a man of goodness, love, justice and life, or on the contrary a man of evil, hate, unrighteous and death. God endowed each person with the freedom and power to decide the person he or she will be.
I am so glad that I started following your blog. Thank you for all of this, it has brought me some peace.
Thank you. You brightened my day. I am only a messenger. You will be remembered in my prayers.
“caretaker of his own virtue”….
…”God endowed each person with the freedom and power to decide the person he or she will be.”
Much of what you write here resonates with me, and I love this phrase and your concluding sentence, and concluding paragraph for that matter. Without opposition in all things, we would not be able to learn, progress, and grow to become what God desires us to be. It is the opposing forces, as you say, that provide the tension necessary for us to learn how to properly use our God-given agency or free will. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to more of your blog posts.
Thank you taking the time not only to read my posting, but also for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights. It is greatly appreciated. Hope we have the opportunity to share more in the future. Peace and Grace, Michael
“God intended to construct a moral universe.” I like this- I can use it catechism class.
So did I.
we respect the creations of god
Yes, this is what all is called to do. Thank you for your comment. Michael