The Gift God Gives to His Friends
So, when we suffer or witness others suffering, we should not run away from it. Instead, run to the Cross. The Cross is the answer. If we look long and deeply enough, we will not see so much a man hanging there with nails in his hands and feet. We will see love and that love will transform us, change us, and maybe lead to even greater good in the world. People who suffer, especially innocent ones, should be like lights for us in the darkness. There can always be some good that can from it.
This does not mean that suffering is something to be enjoyed or that it is itself good. By itself, it is not good, but God can bring from it something we never expected if we unite it to the suffering of Christ. Then it has meaning. When the mind looks for evil, it will find it; when it looks for goodness and love, it will find that too. This is difficult for us to see, but we must try. The great saint Philip Neri once said, “The Cross is the gift God gives to His friends”.
(Grace MacKinnon is a syndicated columnist and public speaker on Catholic doctrine. Readers are welcome to submit questions about the Catholic faith to: Grace MacKinnon, 1234 Russell Drive #103, Brownsville, Texas 78520. Questions also may be sent by e-mail to: grace@deargrace.com. You may visit Grace online at www.DearGrace.com.)
The Greatest Single Act of Suffering
This is a question that has troubled mankind from the beginning of time. Why does God allow suffering and evil in the world? First of all, let us say that it is a mystery, and in recognizing that, we know that in this life, we will never be able to comprehend it completely.
Why God allows suffering can be better understood if we first look at the greatest single act of suffering and evil that ever occurred in the history of the human race. That was the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. There has never been a greater evil than to kill the only Son of God. Why did God allow that? In fact, why is the day that He died called “Good Friday”?
The Greatest “Good” that Ever Was
Jesus Christ (who was God Himself) went to the Cross willingly for a reason. It was His mission. By dying, He brought about the greatest “good” that ever was – the salvation of mankind. We were on our way to destruction, but by His death, He opened the gates to heaven, which had been closed after the original sin of Adam, and thus made a way for us. This is why it was “good”.
Did God have to save us by becoming one of us and suffer and die? No, of course not. He could have done it in any way He wished. In choosing suffering, He showed us love, and yes, even joy. In Old Testament times (before Christ) suffering had no real meaning. It was thought that when people suffered, it was a punishment from God, but Jesus changed all that. He transformed suffering into love. He said there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend.
