Evil exists only in the good, Angels: Day 099

Last updated on: October 28, 2016 at 12:38 pm by Pete Socks

Evil exists only in the good, Angels: Day 099 2016-10-23T12:41:40-05:00 Pete Socks

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Human beings and angels are good creations, says St. Augustine. Even the evil angels are good creations; they are evil only in relation to the good things that they were. It is not possible for there to be evil without good.

But the logical rule doesn’t apply in these two opposites that we call “good” and “evil.” The weather can’t be both dark and light at the same time. Food or drink can’t be sweet and sour at the same time. An object can’t be both white and black at the same time and in the same place. It can’t be misshapen and shapely at the same time. We see this rule in almost all pairs of opposites: two opposite things cannot coexist in the same thing.

No one says that good and evil aren’t opposites. But, nevertheless, not only can they coexist, but evil can’t exist at all without good, or in a thing that isn’t good. On the other hand, good can exist without evil: a person or an angel could exist and not be wicked, but there cannot be wickedness except in a person or an angel. It’s good to be a person, and it’s good to be an angel. But it’s evil to be wicked.

So these two opposites coexist. If there were no good in what is evil, then the evil just could not exist: it would have no way of existing. There would be no source of corruption, because corruption is only taking away the good.

Evils have their source in what is good, and unless they are parasites on something good they are nothing. There is no other source from which an evil thing can come into existence.

If this is true, then a thing is unquestionably good insofar as it is a being. If it’s an incorruptible being, it’s a great good. But even if it is corruptible, it still can’t exist except as a characteristic of something good. Corruption can only do damage by corrupting something good. –St. Augustine, Enchiridion, chapter 5

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

When I think of anyone I consider evil, can I see past the evil acts to the good nature? Do I remember that even those who behave wickedly have guardian angels?

CLOSING PRAYER

Father, you have made nothing wicked by nature, not even the angels who deserted you. Let me be a light to guide your erring sheep back into the fold.

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