Ripples

                                                       by Brother Thomas Aquinas


“The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast
love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by
no means clear the guilty, visiting iniquity of fathers upon
children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.”
— Numbers 14:18


Steadfast love sounds Godly, but does the second half of this verse seem unfair? Why should someone be punished for another’s sins, committed perhaps a hundred years
ago? “But wait,” we might say, “this is a verse from the Book of Numbers.” Could it be that this is one of the old covenant teachings, such as the prohibition against eating
pork, that were given only to the Israelites but not to all times and peoples? Even for such a teaching to apply to Israel, however, would seem to fly in the face of God’s
justice.

Whether a scripture passage is easy or difficult to understand, it remains the inspired word of God, which contains the truths necessary for salvation. Even “temporary” teachings that were given specifically to Israel hold eternal value, though perhaps more subtly than what we see in the New Covenant. For example, the prohibition against pork reminds the Israelites and the faithful today that we are not like other (worldly) nations
and must prefer holiness to fitting in with society. Hence, rather than dismiss the verse above as confusing or misguided, we ought to ask how we can interpret it in light of the
whole deposit of faith.

Although the Catholic faith does not teach that sin and punishment are inheritable, the doctrine of original sin tells us that concupiscence—the tendency toward sin—is, in a
sense, inherited. Put another way, when Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, they lost the perfect harmony with God they originally shared and the possibility of passing such a state on to the rest of the human race.

This is, of course, not the plan God had for creation, which highlights the difference between His positive and permissive will. Although God acts in the world to bring about certain events, He also respects our free wills to cooperate with or work against Him. Sometimes, this means God will allow something to occur without desiring or directly causing it because in His Providence He can bring about an even greater good. Sins have consequences, some of which extend beyond the person who commits them. To say that God punishes to the fourth generation does not indicate a direct act on His part,
but rather that the natural progression of our (good and) bad decisions sends ripples through our families and the world.

We can’t give what we don’t have. Imagine a family that has been broken by sin. Relationships are likely strained. The children may lack sufficient interaction with one or both parents. Children are not responsible for their parents’ sins, but with less
opportunity to observe good examples in the home comes more opportunity to make similar mistakes themselves. In a fallen world, it only takes a single spark to set off a vicious cycle. Although it is possible to learn from the mistakes of one’s parents and other predecessors, trying to avoid a bad example is a less robust means of human flourishing than emulating a good example.

In the end, we are responsible not only for ourselves but also for those around us, especially for our family members. We are, in fact, our brothers’ keepers. So be a good example, even for a stranger; you might be the best example he sees all day.