EWTN Catholic Q&A

Cause and Effect
Question from Curious on 10-31-2012:

Please help me understand the axiom: the cause is greater than its effect. I am thinking of a match that is dropped in a forest. The match is the cause but the ensuing forest fire seems to be greater. I must be misunderstanding something. Thanks so much.

Answer by Richard Geraghty on 11-11-2012:

Dear Curious,

To judge the power of a cause you have to take into account the material it is working on. Lighting a birthday candle is not the same as lighting up a forest. The usual explantion concerns the power of God. To create a world out of nothing is infinitely superior to the world (the effect) created.