“Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good” (Mt 19:17).
We human beings are not good in ourselves, much less are we “the good”, any more than we could say, “I am love” or “I am the way, the truth and the life”.
Only the living God can say that of Himself!
Perhaps this was one of the things that tormented Lucifer: the reality of being nothing in himself and owing everything to God. This becomes unbearable for a proud spirit when love for God is extinguished. St. Michael the Archangel reminded Lucifer of his creatureliness: “Who is like God?” The correct answer is well known to us!
But also in our human nature we know this prideful spirit that fixates on its own supposed greatness and power. Here, for example, we have dictators who, in their delirium of greatness, left behind mountains of death and destruction.
No man is good in himself! No human being is the source of goodness! No one can build a peaceful world on earth: neither a world government nor a fraternal community of men, unless He who is ‘the Good’ transforms the hearts of men and makes them good.
In fact, man can only become good in truth if he adheres to the One who is essentially good, if he listens to the Heavenly Father, if he accepts and practices the love and wisdom that God transmits to him.
But we are always the recipients. We are God’s creatures whom He has raised up to be His children.
What a healing and glorious order our Father has established in everything! When we live in Him, “the Good” dwells in us and unites with us in love so that we can become good.