This Sunday’s second reading from Chapter 8 of Romans is about what it means for God to be all-knowing, yet allow us as his creatures to exercise our free will. It is all a bit over my head, so I consulted the Church Fathers to see what has been said over the centuries, and this journey led me to greater clarity.
St. Paul states in Romans
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
God’s ability to know all, even what has not yet occurred and even given the unpredictable nature of human behavior, makes sense to me. He is God, after all, and exists outside of time, able to see past, present and future. It’s the word “predestined,” and the notion that the predestined are called, that puzzled me. It sounds a bit Calvinistic. As Catholics, I understood that we believe God leaves room for human nature, individual free will and grace and does not determine in advance who will be with him in the after life (although he may know the ultimate result). The language in the reading seems to suggest otherwise.
St. Augustine, writing in 430 A.D., seems to reinforce this, saying
“There is, in the foreknowledge of God, a predetermined limit and number of saints who love God as he has given them to do through the Holy Spirit poured forth in their hearts, and for them everything works together for good.
“Not all who are called are called according to God’s purpose, for the purpose relates to God’s foreknowledge and predestination. God only predestined those whom he knew would believe and follow the call. Paul refers to them as the “elect.” For many do not come, even though they have been called, but no one comes who has not been called.”
So does this mean that only a group of hand-picked elect have a shot at God’s saving grace? Reading further, while still a bit mystified, I came to the understanding that God’s foreknowledge results in him knowing if each of us will be open to his saving grace and so as a practical matter, he calls those he knows are or will be open to him, through his intimate knowledge of each of us.
St. Cyril of Alexandria begins to elaborate on this in the fifth century
“To be called according to God’s purpose is to be called according to the will. But is this the will of the one who calls or the will of those who are called? Naturally, every impulse which leads to righteousness comes from God the Father. Christ himself once said: “No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.” Nevertheless it is not wrong to say that some are called according to God’s purpose and according to their own intentions as well.”
Fourth century bishop Diodorus of Tarsus comments on the reading, speaking of demonstrating worthiness to be called
“This text does not take away our free will. It uses the word foreknew before predestined. Now it is clear that “foreknowledge” does not by itself impose any particular kind of behavior. What is said here would be clearer if we started from the end and worked backwards. Whom did God glorify? Those whom he justified. Whom did he predestine? Those whom he foreknew, who were called according to his plan, i.e., who demonstrated that they were worthy to be called by his plan and made conformable to Christ.”
Ambrosiaster’s Commentary on Paul’s Epistles offered this insight in the fourth century: “To ‘call’ is to help somebody who is already thinking about faith or else to address him firmly in the knowledge that he will listen.”
Symeon the New Theologian, a Byzantine monk and abbot, writing in the 11th century, offers the most complete explanation
‘It is not God’s foreknowledge of those who, by their free choice and zeal, will prevail which is the cause of their victory, just as, again, it is not His knowing beforehand who will fall and be vanquished which is responsible for their defeat. Instead, it is the zeal, deliberate choice, and courage of each of us which effects the victory. Our faithlessness and sloth, our irresolution and indolence, on the other hand, comprise our defeat and perdition. So, while reclining on our bed of worldly affection and love of pleasure, let us not say: “Those whom God fore-knew, them also He predestined,” without perceiving just what it is we are saying. Yes, indeed, He truly knew you beforehand as inattentive and disobedient and lazy, but this is certainly not because He ordered or foreordained it that you should have no power to repent yourself nor, if you will it, to get up and obey. You, though, when you say this, are clearly calling God a liar.”
So, while it may be a fine line, it seems that God does permit each one of us to make our own choices, and provides each of us with opportunities to avail ourselves of his saving grace, all the while knowing us well enough to spot which of us will be open to him and will follow through, and in that way he “calls” those who are so disposed.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church sums it up
“To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace (CCC 600).”
For those who hope to be predestined, we have work to do!
[Readings: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52]
Thanks for taking on this topic. I appreciated your effort very much.