Abundant Evils

Ideo dicimus, fratres, orate quantum potestis. Abundant mala, et Deus voluit ut abundarent mala. Utinam non abundarent mali, et non abundarent mala. Mala tempora, laboriosa tempora, hoc dicunt homines. Bene vivamus, et bona sunt tempora. Nos sumus tempora: quales sumus, talia sunt tempora. Sed quid facimus? Non possumus ad bonam vitam convertere multitudinem hominum? Pauci qui audiunt bene vivant: pauci bene viventes multos male viventes ferant. Grana sunt, in area sunt: paleas secum in area habere possunt, in horreo non habebunt. Ferant quod nolunt, ut veniant ad quod volunt. Quare contristamur et causamur Deum? Abundant mala in mundo, ut non ametur mundus. Magni viri, fideles sancti, qui contempserunt mundum speciosum: nos non possumus contemnere nec foedum. Malus est mundus, ecce malus est, et sic amatur, quasi bonus esset. Quid est autem malus mundus? Non enim malum est coelum, et terra, et aquae, et ea quae sunt in eis, pisces, volatilia, arbores. Omnia ista bona sunt: sed malum mundum mali homines faciunt. Sed quoniam carere non possumus malis hominibus, quamdiu vivimus, sicut dixi, ad Dominum Deum nostrum gemamus; et mala feramus, ut ad bona perveniamus. Patremfamilias non reprehendamus; carus est enim. Ipse nos portat, non nos illum. Novit quemadmodum gubernet quod fecit: fac quod iussit, et spera quod promisit. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo LXXXX, De Verbis Evangelii Matthaei: Nos quare eum non potumus ejicere? Source: Migne PL 38.498

Therefore we say, brothers, pray as much as you can. Evils abound, and God has willed that evils should abound. That evil men did not abound, and then evils would not abound. 'Bad times, troublesome times,' so men say. Let us live good lives, and the times are good. We make our times; such as we are, such are the times. But what can we do? Can we convert the mass of men to a good life? But let the few who hear live well, let the few who live well endure the many who live badly. The few are the grain, they are on the floor, on the floor they have the chaff with them, they will not have them in the barn. Let them endure what they would not, that they may come to what they would. Why do we grieve and reproach God? Evils abound in the world in order that the world may not be loved. Great men, faithful saints, were they who despised the world's attractions; we are not able to despise it, even its ugliness. The world is evil, behold, it is evil, and yet it is loved as if it were good. But what is this evil world? For the heavens and the earth, and the waters, and the things that are in it, the fish, and birds, and trees, are not evil. All these are good, but it is evil men who make this evil world. But because we cannot be without evil men, let us while we live, as I have said, pour out our groans before the Lord our God, and endure the evils, that we may come to the things that are good. Let us not find fault with the Father of the household, for He cares. He carries us, and not we Him. He knows how to govern what He made; do what He has commanded, and hope for what He has promised. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 80, On the words of the Gospel of Matthew: 'Why could not we cast it out' 1 1 Mt 17.19