Jul 29 2008
On Divine Providence Bk 1, Ch 6, The difficulties Of Explaining Divine Providence My Be Overcome In Two Ways: By Faith And By Reason
God odes not disappoint the desire of those men who, in an upright and humble spirit, search carefully, in order that they may partake of and delight in His eternal wisdom. He imparts to them abundance of light to see into those sublime reasons according to which He disposes events. If He keeps the profoundest depths of His counsels veiled in part from them, this is only that they may have opportunities of showing their Faith in Him, and enriching themselves more and more with the high merit of a perfect submission to His adorable decrees.
From all that we have said thus far it is clear that we may appropriately distinguish two ways in which it is possible for man to rid himself of all perplexities or doubts in regard to Divine Providence, that of Faith, and that of Reason.
The first is broad, very simple, and open to all. A religious man, assured by his own reason, but at the same time strengthened in that assurance by the power which a firm Faith infuses into him, holds that He Who governs the universe is an Infinite Being, all-wise, all-powerful, all-just, all-good. Hence, in all accidents, in all trying encounters, he tranquilly reposes in that Being. Nothing disturbs him, nothing comes to him as a surprise. No matter how painful, no matter how far beyond his comprehension, all that happens is ever, in his intimate conviction, a Divine Work; and this simple truth is more than enough for him. All possible objections vanish before this one word: THERE IS A GOD. -Blessed Antonio Rosmini Serbati
