Because He Loves

I got two premises, however, they seem rather convoluted.

1. God is good.
2. Life, often, is not.

  (At least, from an objective, limited, incomplete view of things.)

The problem before me now, is to reconcile these two opposing viewpoints. I know God is good. That's without a doubt, nothing changes that. Whenever something doesn't make sense or seems contrary to what I know to be true, that's a flaw in my reasoning, or there's something I'm missing. Perhaps, it's beyond my grasp of comprehension or hidden from my limited view.

In regards to God, however, people throughout history have asked the same question:

Why does God allow evil to exist in our lives?

We pray for our daily bread, yet millions across the world are starving. 

We pray for peace, yet the world is stricken with violence, wars, and terror. The U.S. has been at war for practically 90% of its existence.

Even in our daily lives, we're confronted by tragedy and hardship at every turn. We've all lost someone close. No one escapes life unscathed from pain, not even Christians. Often, it seems, we get special attention. Today and for the last two thousand years, religious persecutions of often unimaginable cruelty have struck against the Church.

Don't think that such things are long gone, persecution is real and it's happening right now. There have been massive, state-sponsored religious persecutions as recent as the 20th Century. Wars have been fought over this. Even today, you can see the seeds of it sprouting and spreading in our own culture.

Christ warned us this would happen. We might've missed it, but He's said it multiple times. The real question is, why?

For some reason, I am reminded of the certain line from the age-old hymn:"They will know we are Christians by our love."

Often, I've interpreted that to mean that others will recognize us as Christians by the love we show to others. They would know we were different because of our kindness, gentleness, compassion, humility, forgiveness. I believe that's only half the picture. Love is more than that. Once we understand that, we begin to understand God more.

Despite what we might hope, God is not some paternal, fluffy, white-haired, grandfather figure whose pockets are full of loose change and Jolly Ranchers.

Love is not a pleasant feeling, it doesn't pat you on the back gently. It doesn't accept you for who you are, but who you could and should be. It's not some soothing balm to take away all your pains.

True love hurts.

Don't believe me? Just ask Jesus. Nails didn't hold Him to the cross. Love was the only binding strong enough to hold Him.

Love isn't always nice, but it's always good. It's a tough love. Suffering teaches us about ourselves. It strengthens us. A tree is strong because the wind bends it.

I've wondered a thousand times how deep my love and commitment to God truly is. I have no intention of being a fair-weather Christian, but the truth is, I don't know whether I'll hold true to my word, unless I've experienced an actual storm. Right now, I've never experienced anything that would truly shake my trust in God.

Hardship in life is not punishment. It's not the worst fate in the world. It doesn't prove that God doesn't exist or He's some sort of cosmic sadist. Such a claim is absurd, you might as well say your dentist is evil, just because he hurts. Do we complain of exercise being too difficult or painful? Is medicine bad, merely because of its bitterness?

If God didn't love us, our lives might be painless or filled with excessive pleasures. If God didn't love us, He might spoil us instead. To truly love someone, is to will their good. Is giving someone a perfect, utterly blissful life, what is truly good for them? In my observation, spoiling children isn't a good way to raise them, nor is it good for their souls.

Why people suffer, is still tortuously hard to understand. But I think the worst suffering to experience or to witness, is a wasted life. A life without beauty, truth, goodness. A life without Christ. We see it all around us. Moral decadence, relativism, or despair are never pleasant or fulfilling.

We might not understand, but we should always trust our Father. Worry and fear are ill-founded and useless. For while "pain and suffering are inevitable, misery is optional."

We never have to be afraid. 

Because He loves us.

Infinitely.

Quote Tag: Day Three

Finally, the grand conclusion to the quote tag!

Please, excuse me a moment, while I run and try to find a good quote.

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...

*hours later*

 

Alright, I'll admit it. This is not some famous quote by some famous person, but by my very own brother. I'm stealing this from his novel, which is he currently working on. I don't actually know his interpretation of his own quote, but I'm sure he willwon't mind me putting my two cents in.

I think, even at first glance, the meaning behind it is pretty clear. It's talking about the importance of light in darkness.

It's calling us to take courage. In my opinion, darkness only makes light brighter. After all, you can only see the stars at night. Darkness grows and stretches ever farther in this broken world, but that's only due to light's absence. Darkness is not a thing. It does not shine. It's a vacuum.

This is a time to hold fast. To cling dearly to everything this world was founded upon. We cannot freely accept the loss of any of the fundamental traditions that form the bedrock of society. Every step we fall is another mountain to overcome. Every loss is another light smothered. The sun cannot be extinguished, but the world can turn away from it. 

Sure, light can be restored, but have you ever tried lighting a candle in the dark? 

To us who live in the light, our actions may seem small and incomparable to the glory of the Lord, but remember those who live in the darkness. Even the smallest act of charity may appear great to them. Now is the time for unconditional love. A single spark can set a heart on fire. Being kind and patient does not apply only to our friends. When's the last time you smiled at a stranger, or the world in general? 

Don't be discouraged at the darkness. Mourn for the lack of light, but forget not to provide your own illumination. 

Even then, do not worry. We're not meant to shine. We're meant to reflect the light.

The Light of the Son.

***

Alright, that's it for me! Thank you all for reading, I really enjoyed this tag! Once again, thanks Jonathan!

Did you enjoy it? What was your favorite quote? I'm off to enjoy this beautiful afternoon before it rains all week. Do you have any fun plans for the day/week?

Anyhows, I'll see you all later!
 

~Thomas

Quote Tag: Day Two

Here it is, my second installment of the aforementioned quote tag.

I apologize for the posting this a bit late, but I've been out of town this weekend for a graduation. So yep, that's my excuse. Anyways, I'd better just hurry up and write this before the day ends.

Onto the quote!

I love this quote because it perfectly describes the fundamental desire and need of the human heart. I meant to do a post about this a while back, but never quite finished it. Then I read this quote and was blown away by it. 

It comes from JPII's "Love and Responsibility" an incredibly insightful book on the human person and love. It is also extremely complicated to read, but who doesn't like a challenge? 

The point of the quote is, that quite unsurprisingly, the human person is completely insufficient based on its own worth. What he is describing here is the extreme depth of the human heart's desire for the infinite. In every person, there is a desire to make the total, unreserved gift of the self and receive the same from the other. A beautiful and excellent example of this would be in the love of the human person, especially in the case of marriage. 

Marriage is the union of two people in a total, unreserved, reciprocated gift of each to the other. And through that self-gift, their love is manifested in physical form as a child born into the world. Through this love you have a unity of persons: The Family. 

Have you ever wondered about it? Prominently paraded throughout society, there is a complete and unashamed assault against healthy, human culture. The redefinition and weakening of marriage, gender, and the dignity of the human person. This is not some haphazard collection of various onslaughts against human standards. Taken together and viewed from afar, it is quite easy to see the meaning behind it.

This is about the complete destruction and desecration of the human family.

Why? Why is the family slated for such barbaric attacks? There's a reason for it:

The family is the visible image of the invisible God.

The family is a tiny glimpse or reflection of the glory of the Trinity. In it, we find the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father and the Son love each other without limit, unreservedly and it's that love that makes up the third person of the Trinity: The Holy Spirit. Sound familiar? That's what the family makes visible. Father, Mother, and child, the fruit of their love for each other.

Ever wonder why Heaven from the Bible is often described as a great wedding feast? There's a reason behind that. Heaven is the incredible, indescribable wedding of God between Humanity. That's what we were created for. That's what JPII is trying to tell us. 

We're made for union and love. This world cannot fill that need. Ever. Only God can. He desires us. Madly. He longs for your heart with an unquenchable love. That's why He died on the cross. To bridge the gap. To provide the means of our salvation. It's true,

"Realization of the limitation and insufficiency of the human being is the starting point for an understanding of man's relation to God."

We need God. 

That's all.

Quote Tag: Day One

Alright, this is it. I've been tagged.

Specifically, the one in which I throw a plurality of quotes at you.

So anyways, here are the rules:

Rules

• Thank the person who tagged you.
• Nominate 3 new bloggers every day.
• Post a new quote everyday for 3 consecutive days. 

Well, the first part is easy, at least. Thanks, Jonathan!

Ok, what's next?

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...

Sorry, guys, but I think I'm going to cheat on this. First of all, I don't even think I know nine bloggers. Secondly, the ones I do know have all already been tagged for this. So, it kinda defeats the purpose. However, I might consider tagging one blogger for each day. But if not, have mercy! (It is my first tag after all. :P )

Alright, here it is: The Quote!

I'll admit it, Chesterton is where I get a lot of inspiration for my posts. He's always teaching about the simple joys and wonder of daily life. In his writing, even the small and mundane things are often written with a florid description as if to point out: "Stop looking for adventure in your books and worlds of fantasy. It's right here, waiting for you!"

And that's what I love. Life isn't always a struggle, it's meant to be enjoyed. The saints are some of the happiest people you will meet. Life is one blessed adventure that whips you off your feet and takes you to uncharted lands. It's full of mystery, love, courage, and adventure. Call it what you may, the world is not a boring place. The time of heroes and knights is not over. It is just as much critical for our times as any other. We're all called to be warriors.

With the weapons and guidance of God, we have an amazing adventure before us. It's commonly known as life. 

***

Alright, that's it for me. I hope you enjoyed it, 'cause I certainly did. Have you read anything by Chesterton?

As for tagging other bloggers, well, I've been a bit busy lately. Can we just end with this?

Thanks. :P

I'll see all you fine peoples later!

~Thomas