Fortunately, I attended a private women’s Catholic college. Pity wouldn’t do any good. Pope Francis wrote quite eloquently about this matter in Lumen Fidei, paragraph 57, when he reminds us that God provides us with an “accompaniment” through our times of pain and suffering. Mankind chose to … in Philosophy from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. To be crucified usually means death, but for Paul it means Christ living in him. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his suffering, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:8-11). Grace helps us to participate in the salvific act of suffering and to be content with it. The more sin abounds, the more suffering abounds. That’s why, in the Meaning of Suffering presented by Good Catholic, we’ll unlock the teachings of the Church, the examples of the saints, and the life of Christ to help you not only make sense out of suffering, but use it … Learn more here. Northern Cross, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota. Jesus gets our pain. Furthermore, it is in our weakness and suffering that we grow in humility and cannot pride ourselves in our accomplishments. The presence of evil and suffering in the universe is certainly consistent with there not being an omnipotent, omniscience, and omnibenevolent god. Yes, it’s as disgusting as it sounds. When the question is raised, “why does God allow pain and suffering?” it’s usually because we feel pain and suffering is unjust. My human heart simply can’t comprehend why does God allow pain and suffering sometimes. 2. Christ lives in him when he is “crucified with Christ.” John Paul II notes that “Christ also becomes in a particular way united to the man, Paul, through the cross” (SD, 20). The trolley ride was pleasant enough, but the continual oozing, pus-filled facial sores made passengers stare. Understandably, people were concerned about the spread of infection. Yet we allow human beings to suffer needlessly, which in many cases only worsens with the passage of time. Even if suffering is not inherently good, it can produce good if we endure it, allow it to purify us, and make it into a sacrifice. They came along as fallout from the sin of Adam. Participants Book. How many men and women of faith have found mediators of light in those who suffer! Why does your god allow suffering? So using your reasoning, God would not create people that would Knowingly sin, but He would also not create people whose actions would cause other people to sin. In this column we will consider Paul’s inward focus, the way in which he sees himself, through his suffering, as participating in salvation, especially the Passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The number one lie that Christians are often confronted with is the argument that evil, pain, and suffering prove that there is no God, said author and apologist Mark Mittelberg. Surely in 1978, God gifted me with the grace to transcend a painful experience and evolve into a more compassionate person. And he could end all sin and suffering simply by allowing the universe to cease to exist. ... Save Yourself Some Pain. Friends administered cold creams, moisturizers, baby oil, even Vaseline on the burns. Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering? Many have been puzzled by the suffering we see in our world. Through his suffering, Paul sees himself as participating in the Passion of Christ. Paul says: “Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. We also wonder in these dark times how God relates to human pain, injury, violence and involuntary suffering. Many, many, many mornings, when the sores were especially active, I just wanted hide in my room. I didn’t stay home. We can read in Isaiah 48:10 that “I have refined you, though not as silver; I have … One can also be spiritual without much religion. I can give testament, however, that what seemed like endless pain at the time was really an eternal blessing. We see elsewhere in Philippians this notion of imitating Christ being gain for Paul, whether in death or life. 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Pope John Paul II explains why St. Paul writes so much on suffering: “The Apostle shares his own discovery and rejoices in it because of all those whom it can help – just as it helped him – to understand the salvific meaning of suffering” (Salvifici Doloris, 1). Then I remind myself that I was young. My pain, upon reflection, became my biggest opportunity for growth. Our family doctor recommended slicing into the sores to relieve the ever-swelling facial pus-bags. For Paul to live is gain because while he suffers in this life he is imitating Christ and becoming more Christ-like. Pain, suffering and death are integral parts of the material world due to Adam's sin, but Christianity offers hope through the suffering of Jesus Christ. Turn Suffering into Holiness. ibid., n. 13). Evil is sin and suffering, death. Enter your email address to receive free newsletters from NCR. So even though the person of God suffered in a way, that suffering was kept separate from God’s divine nature. Nor does the light of faith make us forget the sufferings of this world. This may sound funny, but difficulties and hardships can be blessings in disguise. We see in these verses of 2 Corinthians 12 that this suffering is once again “for the sake of Christ.” It is through grace that Paul can be content with suffering. We receive here an insight into the effectiveness of grace. When it comes to emotional suffering, many Christians wonder about mental illness. Maybe in 1978, I couldn’t see the wisdom of a loving God providing me with a wise mom’s advice to get over myself. I try to explain about free will and the consequences of it, but he says that unborn children do not have a choice. Theological explanations include the concept of original sin, Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and free will. I began to realize that the suffering I felt with a facial disfigurement was nurturing in me a sincere empathy toward others in pain — greater or lesser, it made no difference. God could have prevented all sin and suffering by not creating the universe. And change tends to involve suffering in direct proportion. Who hasn’t asked this big question: “Why does God permit pain and suffering when God could easily end pain and suffering?” Theological explanations include the … Read these Top 9 Bible Verses-Why Does God Allow Suffering? In St. Paul’s writings we find a greatly developed meaning of suffering. Brian is currently authoring the regular series, "Catechesis and Contemporary Culture," in The Sower, published by the Maryvale Institute and is also in the process of writing the Philosophy of Religion course book for the B.A. One plausible answer might be the obligations, religious and moral, that would logically follow if Jesus were God. Suffering is a participation in the mystery of Christ and is the way Paul can become like Christ. Send your thoughts and reactions to Letters to the Editor. ], Send your thoughts and reactions to Letters to the Editor. Why does God allow suffering? He has a valid question and I don’t know how to answer him. Brian holds an M.A. My devout Catholic mother confidently advises prayer and reflection as a means of clarity. Instead, He forewarned the man and allowed him to decide for himself. God promises a time when there will be no more crying, no more tears, no more pain and suffering, when we will be reunited with God in perfect harmony, forever. So whether he lives and suffers, leading to the resurrection for himself and others, or dies and shares in the resurrection himself alone, he will be united to Christ and be an example for all. Please help me. Working in the Oncology field has opened my eyes to this even more so. & Lay Apostolate for the Diocese of Duluth. Jesus, the perfect One, had all the sins of the world thrown on Him! The question is often asked: “If God is all-powerful and all-good, why does He allow suffering?” For some, this is not just an abstract logical conundrum, but a deeply personal cry of despair, welling up from intense personal pain. Printed with permission from the Northern Cross, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota. I embraced the spiritual foundation program, enmeshed in continual prayer: prayers of petition (“Please, fix my face!”), prayers of bargaining (“If you fix my face, I’ll spend the rest of my life doing good works!”), prayers of pity (“God, you are not listening to me.”). It’s possible, therefore, for God to create beings with the kind of free will that can choose between good and evil, but he can’t also force those creatures to choose good. This tract tackles a very sincere and tough question, one that’s been called the skeptics’ “silver bullet.” If God is loving and all-powerful and could end suffering, disease, and death, why hasn’t He? The next morning, I woke up bloated, blistered, nauseous and weak. Brian Pizzalato is the Director of Catechesis, R.C.I.A. The only answer [to the "why" of suffering] can come from the love of God in the Cross (cf. Because of the incarnation, the Son of God suffered on the cross, though in his human nature, not God’s divine nature. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’…For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Perhaps non-believers recognize that they would need to change, radically, if Christianity turned out to be true. Copyright © The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company | 115 E. Armour Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111 | 1-800-444-8910. My biggest mistake confused spirituality and religion. Painful facial injections of Retin-A were applied to the huge, discolored open sores. As we noted in the prior answer, omnipotence doesn’t mean the ability to do what is logically impossible. This is a question that has baffled people for generations and I am going to give you a great theological answer right now: I don’t know. Jesus’ death for us shows just how much He cares and understands. Advice. Two questions have plagued the minds of Christians and non-Christians alike: why is there suffering? He says: “For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. In about four years, the abrasions healed and faded, just in time for job interviews. 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Let me offer three answers: 1) To let us see the gravity of our choices. If God really is our Abba-Father, our “loving Daddy,” how can God allow his children to starve, to be abused, to suffer from terminal illnesses? For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (1:19-21). In conclusion, suffering with chronic pain is a phenomenon that has and will continue throughout the course of human history. St. Paul explains the meaning of suffering. No matter how many rosaries I recited, my sores weren’t going to magically dissolve in an instant. A 20-year-old’s depth of prayer for a miracle, while self-serving and myopic, is still a testament of belief in God. Regardless of when or why the question of pain and suffering is posed, one can propose that it is a problem primarily in the Christian worldview. But now, when I look back on the quality of my prayer, I am embarrassed. Posted by cathbread On October 24, 2018 In COMMENTS No comments I want to answer the question partly from a scientific point of view, but the rest will have philosophical or religious underpinnings. God does not like pain and suffering, nor did He create the world for it. Suffering is the result of mankind’s sin and rebellion against God (Genesis 3). “Why does a loving God permit pain?” I can honestly say, for the life of me, I don’t know. God didn't stop Adam from sinning (see Genesis 3:1-9 in context). Suffering is his way of “becoming like him (Christ) in his death” so that he “may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). Mom’s advice: “This is a life choice you need to make. They are, however, an inevitable part of our temporal life on earth. Each of us knows firsthand what it means to suffer as a result of … Through that participation God allows us to participate in the economy of salvation and the flow of grace to all who suffer. in Philosophy and the Catholic Tradition program at the Maryvale Institute. This problem arises with ancient anthropomorphic image of God Created by an ancient Biblical world view. I spent my college years in the library completing work-study hours and at weekly dermatologist visits. There is one person who stands out above all to give an answer to these deepest of questions, namely St. Paul. Another dimension of Paul’s thought on the meaning of suffering is his conception of suffering as a means for sanctification, keeping pride at a minimum and trust in God at a maximum. In about two months, my face exploded with six to seven large red welts — just in time for freshman year at college. As I rushed out of the office, sobbing, Mom promised me, “We’ll get this fixed.” Sure enough, she did her research and found a well-regarded dermatologist at a teaching hospital. Why Does God Allow So Much Suffering in the World? God is not distant. There is this intimate bond between the cross, the epitome of the sufferings of Christ, and the suffering of the people which is a participation in the self-same cross. Suffering refines us. 2021 EWTN lineup will see new arrivals, some departures. Thus participation in the cross through suffering is a way of obtaining grace, the power of God to participate in salvation. He gains righteousness not through his own power but through Christ’s. For he fashioned all things that they might have being” -Wisdom 1:13-14. EarthBeat Weekly: Environmental justice, action, spirituality among top themes for 2021, In compelling 'Hillbilly Elegy,' Adams, Close give strong performances, Cross-shaped solar array lights up Mundelein Seminary for New Year, Glimpse of the divine — or wishful thinking? Jesus’ passion and death also gave meaning to suffering. She has written essays in Catholic Philly and Newsweek. In the next column we will consider his outward focus, namely, his view on how his suffering affects others. In suffering, when united to Christ, death now means life. But I sincerely thank God for answering my prayers in an unexpected way 40 years ago. God does not cause the suffering, but he allows it, but the real source of suffering is sin. One can be religious without an ounce of spirituality. Sometimes God allows His people to endure much for the sake of fortitude, even as we call upon Him for help and sustenance. Now you ask, why does God allow pain, suffering, and failure in our lives? There are those who argue that we put down dogs, cats, horses, and other animals to relieve their pain. God allows us to participate in his suffering. Jesus never promised to rid the world of suffering. The myth of Creation in Genesis makes a clumsy effort to explain the suffering, pain and violence of our natural world including humans by explaining that God created everything perfect, but the Original Sin and the Fall corrupted Creation, and humanity. I asked him, “Won’t that leave scars all over my face?”. A cancer patient will come in after being diagnosed and they look fairly healthy in the beginning but once treatment starts I can not stress enough how it wreaks havoc on their bodies. But he did show us that suffering can be embraced and offered back to God the Father as a kind of atonement for sins. We suffer “to make us rely, not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 1:9). It took me a long time to realize what that means. “Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. Further, to live is gain because while Paul lives he can spread the faith and be an example for the Christian community. Every morning, I joined the working world on the 13 trolley. Of course, no one wants or enjoys suffering and hardship. My husband has an issue with why God allows illness, pain, suffering especially children who are born mentally or physically handicapped. God gave us … Paul reveals to us the paradox of the cross. St. John Vianney had plenty of opportunities to “offer up” his suffering. The small environment, daily visits to chapel and a spiritual director provided comfort. Suffering is a participation in the mystery of Christ and is the way Paul can become like Christ. My suspicion is that the best answer to this question is that your god probably doesn't exist. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. This passage follows a text where Paul speaks about all he had gained according to the flesh, being a Hebrew and a Pharisee. You said God (if He exists) could have created only those people that would not cause suffering, namely sin. You can sit in your room, mope, be unproductive, or you can get over yourself, go to work and make a salary for your college tuition. He writes a monthly catechetical article for The Northern Cross, of the Diocese of Duluth, and is a contributing author to the Association for Catechumenal Ministry's R.C.I.A. It’s a torment we cannot fathom. Best. in Theology and Christian Ministry with a Catechetics specialization and an M.A. If God is the benevolent creator and sustainer of life depicted in Christian tradition, then he should be able and willing to eliminate our pain and suffering. 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