Hey there,
You can’t look at the news for long without learning about a senseless tragedy.
It may be a natural disaster like last month’s tornadoes in Kansas, or the recent wildfires in New Mexico.
Or even worse, it may be a man-made tragedy like yesterday’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas or the one in the Buffalo, New York grocery store a couple of weeks ago.
Unfortunately, I could go on and on listing them.
When innocent people are injured or killed, our heart breaks and we question why.
When bad things happen to us or our loved ones, it doesn’t make sense.
Some people lose faith in God because they don’t believe He would let bad things happen to good people.
Growing up, my mother would always say when something bad happened that eventually something good will come of it. It may not be evident the next day or next month. It might take a year or more, but eventually you’ll be able to look back and see something good that resulted from the bad. And she was right!
That’s because our Catholic faith teaches us to trust in God’s plan … in Divine Providence. And though God is not responsible for the evil in the world, He is capable of making good out of evil.
“For almighty God … because he is supremely good, would never allow any evil whatsoever to exist in his works if he were not so all-powerful and good as to cause good to emerge from evil itself.” CCC 311
This week’s issue of Genuflect looks at what we can do when God’s plan doesn’t make sense to us to trust in His Divine Providence. So we can put our faith in Him and look for the good that He will do.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone suffering at the hands of evil. And for those who lost their life, eternal rest grant unto them, o Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Keep Believing-
Katy Barrilleaux
Founding Editor, Genuflect
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5 Things to do
When bad things happen, it can be tempting to turn away from God. But as Becky Roach explains, that is exactly when we need God the most. Here are 5 things you can do when God’s plan does not make sense.
5 Things to do When God’s Plan Doesn’t Make Sense | Catholic Link
7 More Things to do
But wait, there’s more. Here are 7 more things you can do when God doesn’t make sense.
7 Things to do When God Doesn’t Make Sense | Belief Net
Prayer for Divine Providence
St. Jane Frances de Chantal wrote this prayer in the 17th Century for committing to God’s Divine providence.
Abandon Yourself to God’s Providence With This Prayer | Aleteia
Examples of God’s Providence
There are times when suffering and evil don’t seem to lead anywhere. And we can really question God’s plan for our lives. But God does in fact work through those bad times and here are two examples from Scripture.
When God’s Providence Doesn’t Make Sense | Catholic Exchange
Trust God’s Plan
Brittany Calavitta shares her experience when life threw a major monkey wrench at her. At the time it didn’t make sense. But she and her husband trusted God’s call. And a year later it all became clear to her. The moral of her story is, trust in God’s plan, even if you don’t see the good in it.
But Now I See | Blessed is She
Does God Make Mistakes?
Some people wonder, if God is perfect, why is the world so imperfect? Did God make a mistake when he created this imperfect world? Ann Naffziger says the answer is a definite no … here’s why.
Does God Make Mistakes? | Busted Halo
Nothing Makes Sense Without God
Some skeptics have a hard time believing in God because of the bad things that happen in the world. Cullen Hurout makes the case that it’s actually God’s existence that makes it all make sense. Here’s why.
Belief is Hard, But Nothing Makes Sense Without God | Catholic Stand
Why Catholicism Doesn’t Make Sense
ATX Catholic published a provocative article explaining why Catholicism doesn’t make sense. And yet ironically, what doesn’t make sense is what makes … well, sense.
Why Catholicism Doesn’t Make Sense | ATX Catholic
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