Aflame. of Faith Evil is a mystery of faith therefore we will. FLAME TEEN HANDOUT Week 17 March 3, 2019 Topic: The Mystery of Evil

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1 FLAME TEEN HANDOUT Week 17 March 3, 2019 Topic: The Mystery of Evil Aflame with the Holy Spirit Epicurus The problem of evil is the greatest emotional obstacle to belief in God Key Ideas for this week 1. Evil is a mystery 2 God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. He permits it, however, because He respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it. (The CCC) 3. Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit an evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil, by ways that we shall fully know only in eternal life. (The CCC) 4. God is the sovereign master of his plan. But to carry it out he also makes use of his creatures' cooperation. 5. What does the Bible say about evil? 6. There is an essential link between freedom and evil. 7. What is the relationship between evil and sin? 8. Does the Catholic Church believe in devils, demons? 9. The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. 10. What is the relationship between evil and virtue? 11. What is an exorcism and does the Church still practice exorcism? Evil is the lack of some perfection rejection of the good; preference for darkness over light, hate over love a willful turning away from God who is the fullness of love and life the sum of opposition to the good the loss or deprivation of something necessary for perfection, completeness, wholeness, unity a spirit of malevolence; deceit, treachery a powerful force whose aim is annihilation total separation from God A mystery is something that is impossible to understand or explain. The Catholic Church refers to some teachings as MYSTERIES OF FAITH Mysteries of faith are hidden in God, which can never be known unless they are revealed by God. of Faith Evil is a mystery of faith therefore we will never totally understand it in its entirety. What we can know is what God has revealed to us through the Scriptures, sacred tradition, and our personal experience. The Basics Evil implies a deficiency in perfection, hence it cannot exist in God who is perfect. Evil has different forms Metaphysical evil (finitude, chance) Natural evil (famines, floods, storms, etc.) Physical evil - bodily pain or mental anguish (fear, illness, grief, war, etc.) Moral evil - the willful acts of intelligent beings (such as murder, rape, etc.) 1 P a g e

2 The Revealed Truth We believe that God needs no pre-existent thing or any help in order to create. God creates freely out of nothing. God creates as an act of love; He wants to share his being, wisdom and goodness Of evil Creation has its own goodness and proper perfection, but it did not spring forth complete from the hands of the Creator. The universe was created "in a state of journeying" toward an ultimate perfection yet to be attained, to which God has destined it. Q. Why did God not create a world so perfect that no evil could exist in it? A. With infinite power God could always create something better. But with infinite wisdom and goodness God freely willed to create a world "in a state of journeying" towards its ultimate perfection. In God's plan this process of becoming involves the appearance of certain beings and the disappearance of others, the existence of the more perfect alongside the less perfect, both constructive and destructive forces of nature. With physical good there exists also physical evil as long as creation has not reached perfection. God is the sovereign master of his plan. But to carry it out He also makes use of his creatures' co-operation. God grants his creatures not only their existence, but also the dignity of acting on their own, of being causes and principles for each other, and thus of co-operating in the accomplishment of his plan. God does this as a sign of his trust in the goodness of creation Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. Love cannot be coerced, forced, required; it must be freely given We are made in the image of likeness of God. Like God we are free to choose and capable of love God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. He permits it, however, because He respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it. The fact that God permits physical and even moral evil is a mystery that God illuminates by his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose to vanquish evil. Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit an evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil, by ways that we shall fully know only in eternal life. Lucifer The author of evil How do we know this? Lucifer - bearer of light; morning star is an angel an intelligent spiritual being created by God said to be the most beautiful of all the angels, splendid, radiant the most intelligent of all the angels entrusted with the task of leading a third of the angelic host sent to be the servants of humans rebels against God, refusing to serve beings he considers less than himself becomes Satan the prince of darkness, leader of the fallen angels Angels and men who follow Satan base their existence on 3 principles and practical rules of life: you can do what you wish, (arrogance) you obey no one, (lawlessness) you are the god of yourself (pride; conceit) Scripture multiple passages, in both the Old Testament and New Testaments Tradition other writings not included in the Bible - Rabbinical texts, texts not included the Bible (referred to as apocryphal texts, ( i.e. The Books of Enoch), letters and homilies of Christian leaders, Jewish and Christian mystical texts, The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2 P a g e

3 1. Scripture and tradition tell us that God s power would enable him create a perfect world, but it was because of God s wisdom and goodness that the universe was created "in a state of journeying" toward an ultimate perfection yet to be attained. What is good or wise about God s choice? 2. Would you surrender your free will if it would guarantee a world free of evil? Why or why not? 3. Do you think it is fair that God asks angels and human beings, as intelligent and free creatures, to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love? Why or why not? 4. In Romans 8:37-39 St. Paul writes No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Do you agree with Paul? If yes, what experiences have you had that made this real for you? If no, what experiences have you had that make you doubt Paul s belief? 5. How would you describe the difference between sin and evil? 6. Do you believe in demons, devils, Satan? Why or why not? 7. Have you ever sensed evil s presence not the affects of evil but evil itself? If yes how did it make you feel? There is not a single aspect of the Christian message that is not in part an answer to the question of evil. Things Scripture says about evil Evil exists - There is evil in everything that happens under the sun Ecclesiates 9:3 Evil is powerful We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 and Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. Psalm 7:14 Recognizing evil protects us from harm But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrat h and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human As a teen being who does evil; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good Romans 2:9-10 God brings good out of the evil sent against you - E ven though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it (Gn. 50:20) and We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28) 5. We overcome evil with good Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12: The Lord saves us from evil - The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. 2 Tim. 4:18 3 P a g e Book Mark It And lead us not into tempta tion, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13 Do not participa te in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them Eph 5:11 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned thei r proper abode, He ha s kept in eternal bonds under da rkness for the judgment of the grea t day. Jude 1:6 Jesus said, I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I ha ve given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spiri ts are subject to you, b ut rejoice because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:18-20

4 Are Angels real? SIN If you believe that a spiritual world exists then it is not difficult to think of spiritual beings. Christians refer to these beings as angels. I discovered... Angels are pure spirits, incorporeal and in every sense immaterial substances. Yet they are still created beings. Because they are not mortal (they cannot die) there is no reason for them to propagate, hence no angelic families and clans. The Scripture mentions nine different orders of Angels. In various passages in the Old and New Testament mention is made of Seraphim Cherubim Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers Virtues Archangels Angels Like human beings angles were created with free will and thus can rebel against God s will. We call those angels who have rebelled against God, fallen angles, devils, demons. Though I more was powerful reminded than human that beings they are not more powerful than their creator God almighty. Sin moral evil - the willful acts of intelligent beings that rebel against God s will is one way evil is given expression. God s remedy for evil is called Redemption. Redemption is the mystery of God's deliverance of humankind from the evil of sin and the restoration of all to the state of grace by an act of divine power and merciful love. This redemptive act spans the whole of history from the time of the first sin and fall from grace. At the center of this mystery lies the work of Christ the Redeemer. The redeeming activity of God is mediated in and through the life and death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Jesus promises not only a restoration but literally a new heaven and a new earth a new creation. Salvation and redemption are intimately linked but they are not the same. After we are redeemed from our sins and reconciled with God, we begin the process of salvation. Redemption is the first step in the process of salvation. If we accept God s gift of restoration we choose a life aligned with the will of God. Salvation is not just simply the remission of our sins but the sanctification and renewal of our inner selves through our voluntary reception of God s grace and gifts. Salvation therefore is not a one-time event. It is not simply accepting the grace of God, it involves constantly choosing a Christian way of life and following the teachings of the church. Love God Love your neighbor Repent Live a righteous life All have been redeemed, but not all will be saved. Salvation is an individual choice that we each must make, a gift that we can accept or reject even up to our dying breath. The Church offers powerful rituals to free us from evil of humanity Original Sin Social sin 4 P a g e of Angels personal sin demonic possession The Sacraments Baptism one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins Reconciliation the absolution of sins Eucharist the memorial of Christ s death and resurrection Anonting of the Sick - imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation and conveys peace and courage Exorcisms (sacramentals) Exorcism of the posse ssed the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things; the casting out of demons or demonic spirits. Baptismal exorcism - did not imply that those being baptizes were considered to be obsessed, like demoniacs, but merely that they were, in consequence of original sin (and of personal sins in case of adults), subject to the power of Satan. The Scrutinies rites for self-searching and repentance meant to uncover, and then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect.

5 Prayer to Michael, Archangel By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any misdirected passions. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience to you. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven. Concluding prayer said by all Leader: O God, come to my assistance All: O Lord, make haste to help me. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day. LOGIC PUZZLE 5 P a g e

6 4 I learned I was surprised by I was reminded that Questions I have 6 P a g e 5