(Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

302 Creation has its own goodness and perfection, but it did not fully spring forth complete from the Creator. The universe was created “In statu viae” or a “state of journeying” towards an ultimate perfection yet to be attained, to which God has destined it. We call divine providence the dispositions by which God guides his creation towards this perfection: God protects and governs by his providence all that he created, “reaching mightily from one end of the earth to the other and ordering all things well” (Wisdom 8:1). For “all are open and and laid bare to his eyes” (Heb 4:13), even those things which are yet to come into existence through the free action of creatures.” (Vatican Cc. I: DS 300).

 303 The witness of Scripture is unanimous: the solicitude of Divine Providence is concrete and immediate; It takes care of everything, from the smallest things up to the great events of the world and of history. The Sacred Scriptures powerfully affirm the absolute sovereignty of God over the course of events: “Our God is in heaven, whatever He wills, is done.” (Ps 115:3); and of Christ it is said: “If he opens, no one can close; if he closes, no one can open” (Rev 3:7); “there are many plans in the heart of man, but it is the decision of the Lord that is established.” (Pr 19:21);

307 God grants men the power of sharing in his providence by entrusting them with the responsibility of subduing the earth and having dominion over it. (cf. Gen 1:26-28). God thus gives men and women the right to be intelligent and free causes in order to complete the work of creation, to perfect its harmony for their own good and that of their neighbors. Men, often unconscious collaborators with the Divine will, can freely enter into the Divine plan not only through their actions and prayers, but also by their sufferings (cf. Col 1: 24). Then they fully become “collaborators with God” (1 Cor 3:9; 1Thess 3:2) for his Kingdom (cf. Col 4:11).

 312  In time, we can discover that God, in his almighty providence, can draw good from the consequences of an evil, even a moral evil, caused by his creatures: “It was not you, says Joseph to his brothers, who sent me here, but God….You meant evil against me but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many should be kept alive… a numerous people” (Gn 45,8;50, 20; cf. Tb 2,12-18 Vg.). From the greatest moral evil ever committed, the rejection and death of the Son of God, caused by the sins of all men, God, by the superabundance of his grace (cf. Rom 5:20), drew the greatest of goods: the glorification of Christ and our Redemption.  But for all that, evil never becomes good.

The Lord saw his task in revealing the traits of divine fatherhood to those who followed and listened to him in admiration. He saw his task, at the same time, in leading us into his childlikeness, into his essence of being the Son of God. No one goes to the Father except through him (Jn 14:6). His mission is finally fulfilled when those he loves have found their way back to the Father. Therefore, he puts the name of the Father on the lips and in the hearts of his people and teaches them to pray: Our Father…

…to know that God the Father is interested in an extraordinarily personal way even in the smallest thing of each person; that he personally takes care of each one so that not even a single hair falls without his knowledge, will, and intervention. (Mt.10:30) This is the message of a divine special providence. This message of a divine special providence makes us see that God not only leads great events wisely towards a foreseen end (divine providence in general form). According to his immanent and effective laws he, simultaneously and equally, also takes care of each individual in particular (divine special providence). [1]

Read: Lk. 12: 22-31:

[Jesus] said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds!” Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?  As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them.”

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[1] Father J. Kentenich, Chile, 1952.

• Since God has created us in this state of journeying (cf. CCC 329), what aspects of our life do we need to view under a new light?
• Do we readily accept God’s guidance convinced that we are still journeying toward perfection?
• What can we do in the morning and in the evening in order to be mindful of God’s signs of love and fatherly guidance during the day?