The Mystery of Suffering

The Mystery of Suffering

Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, "It is part of the discipline of God to make His loved ones perfect through trial and suffering. Only by carrying the Cross can one reach the Resurrection."  St. Brendan the Navigator wrote, “Christ of the mysteries, I trust You to be stronger than each storm within me.  I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hand.”

 

Lord, You know the burden of my sorrow, let my suffering help issue in Your Kingdom of peace and joy.  Suffering is a profoundly difficult human problem to deal with, to comprehend!  Why is there suffering if God is all loving, all good and all-powerful?

Pope St. John Paul II said, "It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls. Suffering, more than anything else makes present in the history of humanity the powers of the Redemption."

Why does anyone suffer?  Why does God permit suffering?  The truth is I don’t know, but I am very interested in finding out.  You and I will not fully understand the why of suffering until we arrive at our eternal reward. 

Why?                                        

Let me share the story about a rabbi who lived about 500 years before Christ.  One day he was teaching his students and foreign troops invaded their village.  They witnessed the fire, the killing and the mayhem.  Finally, the rabbi looked up to heaven and screamed, “If only I were God!’

One of his students said to him, ‘what would you do differently if you were God?”  He said I would do nothing differently, but “I would understand!”         

Our loving God and Creator sent us His Son, who showed us how to handle suffering.  When Jesus suffered, He offered His suffering to God the Father, and it was anointed by the Holy Spirit.  You and I are called to do the same and trust me it is not easy.

There is no answer to the why of pain and suffering this side of the grave, however one day we will understand, until then follow the path of Jesus and offer your pain and suffering up, ask God to bless it and make good come from it. 

St. Joseph pray for us. 

St. Francis de Sales pray for us. 

May God Be Praised.