Good and Evil

Last night Father George discussed good and evil with our RCIA class. He discussed the view of St. Thomas Aquinas (and the Church) that evil is not its own thing, rather it is at the lowest end of the spectrum of goodness. I learned this as a philosophy student (and then quickly forgot) that evil is the lack of goodness. Fr. George also explained that the more evil we become the less human we are-- to be truly human is to perfectly reflect the goodness of God. (Very encouraging for someone raised to believe we are all piles of poop that can only come close to holiness when Jesus covers us with Himself, that we are never quite capable as humans to be holy).

I think I often get caught up in Buddhist-type thinking-- if I can just detach myself from my passions, emotions, desires, needs I will be able to live faithfully. But nothing could be further from the truth. Rather than losing our passions, I think we are called to order them. It is good to want "earthly" things like food, sex, work that makes us happy, healthy children, good friendships. But all our desires need to be in submission to the Spirit less they turn into sin; the desire for food without self-control turns to gluttony, the need for material things like clothing and shelter without reason becomes avarice, and so on. You see? The lack of goodness is exactly what evil is.

I don't know if that is very clear, but I find knowing this shores me up against a number of different trials. To know that our desires are not something to overcome but something to offer to God so He may use them to His honor is, to me, a sweet relief.

"And the knowledge of evil serves that of good and the knowledge of good is sharpened and ruled by that of the evil, and is made wise in all things by it." -Hildegard Von Bingen