Sunday Mass Reflection

The Problem of Evil

What is the Kingdom of God? It’s so immense and diverse that it’s difficult for our minds to understand it. Jesus used parables to help explain His Kingdom. The parables of the mustard seed, the yeast, the pearl of great price, the hidden treasure, and the weeds among the wheat, to name a few. Each explores a different aspect of God’s Kingdom in ways that we can begin to understand. The parable of the weeds among the wheat from this Sunday’s Gospel reading explores a difficult aspect of God’s Kingdom here on earth: the problem of evil. 

Why Evil?

For many people, the problem of why evil exists is a key objection to the existence of an all-loving and all-powerful God. Truly, it’s hard for us to wrap our minds around the concept of why our God who loves us and wants only good for us allows evil and suffering to exist in the world. Why wouldn’t God stop people from sinning and hurting others? Why do innocent people have to endure the consequences of sin in the world? Why crime, why murder, why abuse, why racism, why injustice? 

A good place to start with this is by exploring just what evil is and what it isn’t. Evil is not a “thing.” God did not create evil; it is not a creature in the world. Evil is a consequence of sinful choices, which is made possible by free will. Free will is a gift to us from God: “God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions” (CCC 1730). Free will means that we have true freedom. We can choose to follow and love God, or we can choose not to do so. God gave us the dignity to choose to live in His Kingdom as his children. Therefore, sin is a byproduct of free will. We value our freedom, and in it we can choose to do good or evil.

“…all of human life, whether individual or collective, shows itself to be a dramatic struggle between good and evil, between light and darkness.” – Gaudium et Spes, 13

The first sin—the seed of evil—was introduced into the world by the enemy, Satan. He planted the weedy seed of disobedience into Eve’s heart, and she passed it on to Adam, and continually on and on to us. This is original sin. We all struggle with sin. We all have to battle the forces of evil, both inside ourselves and in the world around us. We all need a Savior.

God Has A Plan

In the parable of the weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13: 24-30), the sower allows the weeds to grow up next to his wheat. He knows the enemy has sown the weedy seeds. He knows the weeds will sprout, but he leaves them until the harvest. He has a plan for the weeds: “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn” (Matthew 13:30). Evil will occur; God knows this. But He has a plan for dealing with evil. The weeds are taken to be burned. The true consequence of choosing sin and evil is Hell: eternalized evil and suffering. “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42).

God also has a plan for the “children of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:38). He has a plan for that wheat. It will be gathered into the barn. The consequence for choosing good over evil is Heaven: eternalized goodness, happiness, and love. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son that we might have this reward. Jesus Christ is the solution to the problem of evil. Jesus died on the cross to save everyone who believes in Him from the ultimate consequences of sin, which is death of the soul: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). 

Spiritual Warfare

We are not powerless to sin, nor are we called to stand idly by and shrug our shoulders when we encounter it. Our role is to live as the wheat in the parable, to be the children of the kingdom. God’s life of grace within us empowers us to live good and virtuous lives. His grace allows us to defeat the powers of darkness in ourselves and stand up to evil in the world. Being God’s children means that we must work to bring about God’s will here on earth. To bring about His Kingdom of peace and goodness: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (cf Matthew 6:9-10). We here on earth are part of the Church Militant. We are soldiers of Christ, fighting against sin, evil, and the enemy who plants the seeds of death. We put on our spiritual armor and confront evil. God’s love is our ultimate weapon in our spiritual warfare, just as Jesus’s self-sacrificing gift of Himself on the cross was the ultimate sign of His love and the way He defeated the evil one.

Lord Jesus, empower me to fight the good fight for You and Your Kingdom. Help me in my battle against evil inside my own heart and in the world where you call me to be your spiritual soldier. Holy Spirit, please bless me with Your gift of fortitude and make me firm in my desire to choose good and avoid evil. Help me be assured of Your plan and to trust in You always. Amen.

“Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” – Ephesians 6:10-17