Good morning, Father Angelo

I am writing to you to know your theological or catechetical opinion regarding the soul and the relationship with the body in extreme situations, beyond any order that governs the coming into the world of every creature, especially our species. I have known for a long time now that human reason cannot and perhaps must not be enough for everything that concerns the sphere of the transcendent, there is certainly an inconceivable void between God and the possibility of understanding him in a total way, at least until we have to live our earthly experience. The fundamental part that overrides our orientation to God must be carried out by faith. (…).

I’ll get to the point! I am very struck when, even if very rarely, children are born with terrible malformations and outside of all that logic that normally leads us to think that all the dynamics of nature should be inserted ab eterno in an order established by God. The starting point for further reflection is provided to me by a news item, of these days, of a birth of twins called Dicephalic Parapagus  that occurred in India. The mother was convinced that they would be twins, instead she saw the light of day as a single trunk with two heads, two hearts, and three arms. We all know that there are cases of extreme malformations that, even if rarely, unfortunately occur. This is an event that probably surpasses in tragedy all the aforementioned cases. (…). We could say, yes, that there is a course that follows a fundamental order that is at the basis of the existence of the entire universe, from the flower of the field, to the tree, to the animal world, to physical, chemical, atmospheric phenomena! We ordinarily call this order Nature, making it derive from the inconceivable Thought of the Father of all. for which every existing thing had to have a procedural sequence before being, existing, participating in that immanent whole of which man is a part. (…).

Such a high existential tragedy does not seem to contradict that infinite love that in this case originates an existence that is a source of extreme suffering for the one who is born and for the one who welcomes him in his availability of love, that is, the parents? (…).

At the resurrection of the bodies, when it is said that we will recognize each other (…) what could be hypothesized? Is it perhaps more correct not to think anything and leave all this, together with so much else, in the field of the humanly indefinable because of God “Totally Other”.

Thank you if you have had the patience to read and I cordially greet you, guaranteeing you humble prayers.

Giovanni

Priest’s answer

Dear Giovanni,

1. Nature originally comes from God.

In the middle, however, there was original sin that contaminated the soul and also the body of our ancestors.

Therefore, we were given a nature infected by sin, with the possibility of diseases that can have a genetic origin and with the possibility, fortunately rare, of malformations.

2. It is true that God creates the rational soul at the moment of our conception.

But he creates it because he is urged and conditioned by the will of the couple.

3. By giving freedom to man, God has somehow tied himself.

This applies not only to the conceptions of malformed children, but to every action performed by any living being.

4. In fact, no one could pass from potentiality to act except by virtue of him who is Act, or rather pure Act.

If creatures could pass by their own virtue from potentiality to act, it would mean that they have the act in their own right.

In other words, it would mean that they are masters of their own existence and capable of preserving it always and at every moment. In other words, of being like God. But in fact this is not the case. It is clear to everyone that no one is master of their own existence.

5. Returning to the issue of ill-conceived children, we can ask ourselves why this actually happens.

Our answer is: we know that it can happen, but we do not know why it happens.

6. Why does God allow it?

We can find an answer in the words of Jesus when, faced with a man born blind, “his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? ’

Jesus answered, ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him’” (Jn 9:2-3).

In the case of the man born blind, the works of God soon became manifest with the miracle of instant healing that showed the divinity of Christ, with the consequent need to refer to him in order to be saved.

7. But in the vast majority of cases we cannot see the works of God. Rather, we see the persistence of the permission of evil.

We know, however, that there is a will for good on God’s part.

To understand it, together with the awareness that being born healthy is not a right but an undeserved gift, we must wait to go there.

God said: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.” (Is 55:8-9).

8. With the resurrection of the bodies, every deformity will disappear. Each of the saved will have a glorious body in its perfect identity.

Then all will understand the plans of God and will agree with that voice that Saint John heard from the altar that said: “Yes, Lord God almighty, your judgments are true and just!” (Rev 16:7).

While I thank you for your welcome prayers, I assure you of mine.

And with the wish of every good, I bless you.

Father Angelo

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