Questions from Teens
This question comes from several teens at the Holy Cross retreat in Kaukauna and it is a question that everyone must think about at some point in time; especially when we learn of horrible tragedies: children dying in a house fire; a father killed driving his pregnant wife, who is in labor, to the hospital; millions starving or dying of diseases that have simple cures or because of corrupt governments. Everyone will have to confront this question and find some sort of answer...
However, no answer - from any point of view - is 100% satisfying. No answer would make a grieving mother stop grieving. No answer heals the hurt of a loved one who's suffering or who's been lost...
But some of the answers are better than others. Some answers at least show us a reason and maybe a future hope. Others just leave us in the muck and do nothing for us. An example of the latter, is "Well that just the way it is." What does that do for anyone? It's almost akin to "shut up and take it."
Another is the atheistic response to suffering: suffering has no meaning and we should avoid it at all costs. The first part of that sentence seems to make sense, especially when we're the ones suffering and the second half seems attractive; but if we're honest, we know it's impossible to avoid all suffering and we want our suffering to be for some purpose. Isn't that what we yell at God, "Why, God, Why?" We want our suffering to mean something.
Let's look at another view of suffering: The Christian and, specifically, Catholic view. We must understand a few principles first before we dive into the Catholic view on suffering. First we must understand the radical unity of the Body of Christ. Once we are baptized, we are part of a Body, like a cell is part of a body, but much more important. We have a roll, a purpose and we effect each other. We see it when we directly effect each other: I punch someone. My actions have hurt another person.
But this action has a greater effect: as a Christian, having sinned, I have brought the Body of Christ lower. Another Christian, who knows nothing of my actions, may suffer because the person I punched now believes Christians punch others.
This principle is applied to the world in general: a sin is NOT a personal thing. Every sin, even those done in private, effects the world. Think of it like ripples in a pond. Even the smallest stone thrown into the pond produces ripples that go to the edge of the pond - we may not be able to see the ripples, but the effect is there. And so it is with our sins, both the big ones and the small ones.
Another principle we must understand is Original Sin. Many people ask: if God is all Good and All Powerful, why didn't He create a world without sin? The answer is: that's EXACTLY what He did. On top of that, he put Adam and Eve in charge: "You shall have dominion over..." But why would God do this? The same reason He created us to begin with: Love.
Which brings us to another principle we must understand: Love. Love is NOT a feeling (and when I stop feeling it, I stop loving.) Love is a choice; an action. Love is to will the good of another, especially if it costs you something. Some theologians have said we can substitute "sacrifice" for "love" and get the same idea.
So God creates us out of Love for the sole purpose of Loving Him. But since love is a choice, we had to be free to either chose God or chose "not God". Another way to say that is we could chose God or sin. If there wasn't a free choice, it could not be love.
At some point Adam and Eve chose "not God" or sin. This caused a chain reaction. Think of a magnet high up somewhere. Connected to that magnet are three rings, the first touching the magnet, the second touching the first and the third touching the second. The magnetism represents God's life - or Grace. The first ring is the soul. The second ring is the body. The third ring is nature. When Adam and Eve sinned, their souls were cut off from Grace, from the magnetism. This caused the first ring to fall. But since the body and nature were connected to God through man's soul. This brought suffering such as disease and natural disasters into the world, in addition to sin.
Here's where all our principles come together. Because we are all God's creation, we come into the world, now, with a lack of Grace i.e. with "Original Sin." Even after we're baptized and our soul is "re-magnetized" we suffer with the "effects of Original Sin:" we are more prone to sin, our bodies still suffer, are subject to disease and decay; and we suffer against nature.
As we continue to sin, we continue to effect ourselves, each other and nature by choosing "not God" and "not God's way." This causes others to suffer even when they didn't do anything to directly deserve the suffering they receive. Natural disasters, accidents and disease cause even more suffering.
I know that's not very satisfying. God knows that. God knows we wouldn't be fully satisfied, nor would we fully understand why. So... instead of what the imaginary gods of paganism do, which is stay away from human affairs in their perfect abodes... God became a man. The Perfect human. He never sinned but He chose to suffer for ALL OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE, in the Garden and on the Cross. He participated in our suffering. Moreover, He suffered when He didn't have to; He took more suffering than anyone had ever suffered, and He was the most innocent Person ever.
Talk about unfair suffering...
But there's still more to the story.
Remember what I said about our actions effecting each other and the world? Jesus shows us this. He did the greatest Jujitsu move of all time: He took all that evil and Redeemed the world through it! He forgave, Redeemed and Saved. You can think of it this way: He took the biggest pocket of "not God" and made it "yes God" through the suffering He endured... the "needless", "senseless", "unfair" suffering He endured.
Those of us who are In Christ - if you're baptized you're In Christ - we can use suffering in the same way: for Good. We can add our suffering to prayers or pious practices to increase the effectiveness of those prayers and practices. We can also mimic that ultimate Jujitsu move: we can forgive the wrongs done to us. We can also bring relief to those who suffer. All these are like absorbing waves in that pond and leaving calm water behind you.
This is only a brief explanation: there is much more that could be said. But with the Catholic view our suffering does not have to be meaningless and each and every suffering can be used to bring a greater good, even if we don't see it.
Let me bring up one more principle: heaven. Heaven could be described as "infinite good." Or at least, we're together with Infinite Goodness (God) forever. This is our true home, not this world. Any suffering we receive in this world can be repaid with infinite goodness. Since this means that all suffering can be finite - or will have an end - what does it mean to be repaid with infinite goodness? Well if we think of money: if you pay $1,000,000.00 only to be repaid with infinite money, how much in debt are you? What if you were in a trillion dollars debt but were repaid with infinite money? Get the idea? Heaven is our ultimate goal, not this world.
Let me apply this to something concrete: the fire in Sheboygan. For those who may not know, while the parents were gone at a Bible study, a fire started in their home. Two of the four children initially escaped. The 11 year old returned to the house to try to rescue her siblings. She ended up dying as well.
While this will not end the suffering of the parents; it is my belief that the actions of the parents - attending Bible studies and choosing God and God's way - instilled in the 11 year old with Christian character, virtue and especially the sense of courage. The Bible says there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone else. The 11 year old wanted to save her siblings. Who is to say that her sacrifice did not Save herself and her siblings to where they are now repaid with Infinite Goodness?
I wrote another piece with another take on this question here:
http://fideidefensorgb.blogspot.com/2015/04/will-god-help-me-through-my-tough-times.htmlAnother is the atheistic response to suffering: suffering has no meaning and we should avoid it at all costs. The first part of that sentence seems to make sense, especially when we're the ones suffering and the second half seems attractive; but if we're honest, we know it's impossible to avoid all suffering and we want our suffering to be for some purpose. Isn't that what we yell at God, "Why, God, Why?" We want our suffering to mean something.
Let's look at another view of suffering: The Christian and, specifically, Catholic view. We must understand a few principles first before we dive into the Catholic view on suffering. First we must understand the radical unity of the Body of Christ. Once we are baptized, we are part of a Body, like a cell is part of a body, but much more important. We have a roll, a purpose and we effect each other. We see it when we directly effect each other: I punch someone. My actions have hurt another person.
But this action has a greater effect: as a Christian, having sinned, I have brought the Body of Christ lower. Another Christian, who knows nothing of my actions, may suffer because the person I punched now believes Christians punch others.
This principle is applied to the world in general: a sin is NOT a personal thing. Every sin, even those done in private, effects the world. Think of it like ripples in a pond. Even the smallest stone thrown into the pond produces ripples that go to the edge of the pond - we may not be able to see the ripples, but the effect is there. And so it is with our sins, both the big ones and the small ones.
Another principle we must understand is Original Sin. Many people ask: if God is all Good and All Powerful, why didn't He create a world without sin? The answer is: that's EXACTLY what He did. On top of that, he put Adam and Eve in charge: "You shall have dominion over..." But why would God do this? The same reason He created us to begin with: Love.
Which brings us to another principle we must understand: Love. Love is NOT a feeling (and when I stop feeling it, I stop loving.) Love is a choice; an action. Love is to will the good of another, especially if it costs you something. Some theologians have said we can substitute "sacrifice" for "love" and get the same idea.
So God creates us out of Love for the sole purpose of Loving Him. But since love is a choice, we had to be free to either chose God or chose "not God". Another way to say that is we could chose God or sin. If there wasn't a free choice, it could not be love.
At some point Adam and Eve chose "not God" or sin. This caused a chain reaction. Think of a magnet high up somewhere. Connected to that magnet are three rings, the first touching the magnet, the second touching the first and the third touching the second. The magnetism represents God's life - or Grace. The first ring is the soul. The second ring is the body. The third ring is nature. When Adam and Eve sinned, their souls were cut off from Grace, from the magnetism. This caused the first ring to fall. But since the body and nature were connected to God through man's soul. This brought suffering such as disease and natural disasters into the world, in addition to sin.
Here's where all our principles come together. Because we are all God's creation, we come into the world, now, with a lack of Grace i.e. with "Original Sin." Even after we're baptized and our soul is "re-magnetized" we suffer with the "effects of Original Sin:" we are more prone to sin, our bodies still suffer, are subject to disease and decay; and we suffer against nature.
As we continue to sin, we continue to effect ourselves, each other and nature by choosing "not God" and "not God's way." This causes others to suffer even when they didn't do anything to directly deserve the suffering they receive. Natural disasters, accidents and disease cause even more suffering.
I know that's not very satisfying. God knows that. God knows we wouldn't be fully satisfied, nor would we fully understand why. So... instead of what the imaginary gods of paganism do, which is stay away from human affairs in their perfect abodes... God became a man. The Perfect human. He never sinned but He chose to suffer for ALL OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE, in the Garden and on the Cross. He participated in our suffering. Moreover, He suffered when He didn't have to; He took more suffering than anyone had ever suffered, and He was the most innocent Person ever.
Talk about unfair suffering...
But there's still more to the story.
Remember what I said about our actions effecting each other and the world? Jesus shows us this. He did the greatest Jujitsu move of all time: He took all that evil and Redeemed the world through it! He forgave, Redeemed and Saved. You can think of it this way: He took the biggest pocket of "not God" and made it "yes God" through the suffering He endured... the "needless", "senseless", "unfair" suffering He endured.
Those of us who are In Christ - if you're baptized you're In Christ - we can use suffering in the same way: for Good. We can add our suffering to prayers or pious practices to increase the effectiveness of those prayers and practices. We can also mimic that ultimate Jujitsu move: we can forgive the wrongs done to us. We can also bring relief to those who suffer. All these are like absorbing waves in that pond and leaving calm water behind you.
This is only a brief explanation: there is much more that could be said. But with the Catholic view our suffering does not have to be meaningless and each and every suffering can be used to bring a greater good, even if we don't see it.
Let me bring up one more principle: heaven. Heaven could be described as "infinite good." Or at least, we're together with Infinite Goodness (God) forever. This is our true home, not this world. Any suffering we receive in this world can be repaid with infinite goodness. Since this means that all suffering can be finite - or will have an end - what does it mean to be repaid with infinite goodness? Well if we think of money: if you pay $1,000,000.00 only to be repaid with infinite money, how much in debt are you? What if you were in a trillion dollars debt but were repaid with infinite money? Get the idea? Heaven is our ultimate goal, not this world.
Let me apply this to something concrete: the fire in Sheboygan. For those who may not know, while the parents were gone at a Bible study, a fire started in their home. Two of the four children initially escaped. The 11 year old returned to the house to try to rescue her siblings. She ended up dying as well.
While this will not end the suffering of the parents; it is my belief that the actions of the parents - attending Bible studies and choosing God and God's way - instilled in the 11 year old with Christian character, virtue and especially the sense of courage. The Bible says there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone else. The 11 year old wanted to save her siblings. Who is to say that her sacrifice did not Save herself and her siblings to where they are now repaid with Infinite Goodness?
I wrote another piece with another take on this question here:
I hope this helps bring you along the road towards an answer.
God Bless,
Fidei Defensor
