Choose a topic from Part 1:

47. The Distinction of Things

1. It is not true that God created the bodily world as amass of matter which somehow has worked itself out into the many individual things and kinds of things which we find about us. Both distinction of things and multitude of things come from God. In creating, God communicates his goodness; creatures are to represent and manifest the divine goodness. And goodness, which in God is simple, in creatures is diversified; what phase of the divine goodness one creature fails to represent, may be represented by another. The whole multiple and varied universe manifests the divine goodness more perfectly than any single creature could do.

2. The variety of things in the created universe involves inequality in things. Mineral bodies, plant bodies, animal bodies,human bodies, are not on a level except in bodiliness. There is an arrangement in them, a series of degrees of excellence or perfection. The universe would not be so perfect if only one grade of being or goodness were found in creatures. Hence the inequality of things is from the Creator.

3. The world of creatures shows a marvelous unity and order. It is one world. A number of worlds, separate and wholly unrelated, would not be such a manifest work of divine Wisdom as one world, multiple and various, yet beautifully harmonious.

"It is better to be burdened and in company with the strong than to be unburdened and with the weak. When you are burdened you are close to God, your strength, who abides with the afflicted. When you are relieved of the burden you are close to yourself, your own weakness; for virtue and strength of soul grow and are confirmed in the trials of patience."
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

* * *

"A person who rails at God in adversity, suffers without merit; moreover by his lack of resignation he adds to his punishment in the next life and experiences greater disquietude of mind in this life."
St Alphonsus de Liguori

* * *

"Whoever wants to stand alone without the support of a master and guide will be like the tree that stands alone in a field without a proprietor. No matter how much the tree bears, passers-by will pick the fruit before it ripens. "
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

* * *