Is Beacons of Light Evil? By Fr. Andrew Reckers
There is wide variety of attitudes toward Beacons of Light, and one that l am hearing with greater frequency is the implication that one or more of the changes entailed in Beacons is evil. Thus, it is concluded that any evil changes entailed in Beacons should be opposed. Such a bold claim deserves discussion. It is beyond the scope of this short article to frame this complex and highly nuanced debate; instead, I offer here some reflections to serve as starting points for further dialogue.
To begin, we need to know what a person means when claiming that something is evil. The term “evil” has more than one meaning; thus, using this term in an unqualified sense can cause confusion. In general, evil is defined in philosophy and theology as a privation (or absence) of some good. Since “good” can refer either to moral good or to the order of nature in general, “evil” can be subdivided into two main kinds: 1. Moral evil (or immorality), and 2. Natural (or physical) evil. Moral evil is the deliberate rebellion of a person against one or more of God’s laws governing rational behavior. For example, moral evils include, but are not limited to, deliberate violations of one or more of the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, a natural evil is some lack of order in the natural world. Natural evils include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, scarcity of natural resources, disease, pain, suffering, and death.
With this important distinction between different kinds of evil, we can now ask a more specific question: Are the changes entailed in Beacons of Light immoral? For this claim to be true, it must be shown that the changes are in violation of a just law in some way. However, I have not yet seen anyone present convincing evidence that any of the changes entailed in Beacons violates any of the laws of God, of the Church, or of the secular state. I have seen assertions that Beacons violates Canon Law, but I have not seen a sound argument that demonstrates this claim. On the contrary, I have seen how the proposed changes in Beacons are completely licit, as presented by legitimate canonists in the Archdiocese. Therefore, I must conclude that the evidence does not support the claim that any of the changes entailed in Beacons is immoral.
To be sure, some of the changes entailed in Beacons of Light do result in grief and other forms of psychological suffering. This is because Beacons involves sacrifice and loss. Therefore, it can be said that Beacons entails forms of natural (but not moral) evil. However, this by itself is not a good enough reason to say in an unqualified sense that these difficult changes are bad, and therefore that they should be opposed. The changes entailed in Beacons, if implemented well, would provide overall benefits to our parishes and the Archdiocese in the long run, even though it would involve sacrifice in the short run. Life is full of situations in which natural evils are tolerated for a greater good. Examples include detaining a criminal to prevent further crime, surgery to treat or cure a disease, and pruning a fruit-bearing plant to increase its fruitfulness.
Moreover, pain and suffering are part of Christian discipleship in this imperfect world. Jesus teaches us, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 16:24-25).” The sacrifices involved in denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, and following Jesus are part of the offering of love we should make for God and our neighbor. Charity entails sacrifice and suffering, in other words tolerating natural evils for a greater good, as long as natural evils continue to be part of our imperfect world.
In conclusion, I empathize with anyone who is anxious or suffering in any way due to the proposed changes in Beacons of Light. Even though this process is not immoral, it is certainly painful. I haven’t met anyone yet who feels that the process is easy or pleasant. However, this trial is an excellent opportunity for us in love and humility to offer our sufferings to Jesus Christ in union with His Passion. I pray that by our perseverance and trust in God, we can all grow in character and virtue as we allow God to transform us through our suffering gracefully.