god is good
"The Lord God planted a garden in Eden...and He placed there the man whom He had formed." —Genesis 2:8
People frequently blame God for the cruelty and tragedies that occur in this world. This attitude of blaming God stems from the assumption that He created and orchestrated every situation and circumstance in the present, visible world. Today's first reading debunks this attitude and proclaims that what God created was "delightful" and "good" (Gn 2:9).
God freely and lovingly created man and gave him the breath of life. God not only provided man with an abundance of good food, but He also blessed man's spirit by creating an environment that was "delightful to look at" (Gn 2:9). All of this was a sheer gift from God. In the world He created, God did not require man to produce his own food; that requirement was chosen by man when Adam and Eve decided to handle their own affairs (Gn 3:19). God appointed man to "care for" the earth (Gn 2:15), and man "didn't care." People might say that "God just doesn't care," but the truth is that the injustices of this world occur because man didn't and doesn't "care" for God's creation.
The Scripture readings for Mass this Friday reveal that the free choice of man is what has caused the disorder that exists in our present world. Even that tragic choice can't change the nature of God. God is good. He loves the people He has created and He provides everything necessary for each one of them. He has not changed (see Heb 13:8), and He still sends forth provisions to this earth to provide for our needs (see Mt 5:45; 6:30; Phil 4:19). "O Lord, my God, You are great indeed!" (Ps 104:1)
Prayer: Father, thank You for giving me the breath of life. I will spend my life giving thanks and praise to You.
Promise: "When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth." —Ps 104:30
Praise: Glenda was devoted to Our Lady of Lourdes. She rejoiced when her confessor assigned her to pray to her patroness.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 25, 2014
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