God Wants Us to Suffer, A Pious Heresy
When I teach junior high classes about creation I usually draw a large circle on the whiteboard. I tell my class that this represents everything God created and I ask them to shout out the things that would go inside the circle. ?People!? is one of the first things the student?s shout and the circle quickly gets filled in with things like plants, animals, time, matter, and angels. At this point, I like to have fun with them and write ?Hell? and ?Satan? in the circle and a lively discussion usually ensues.
There are a couple things, however, that aren?t in this circle, namely, death and suffering.
[Image Credit: Marion Basilio at One Secret Mission]
Paul
Paul Fahey?is a husband, father of four, and?professional lay person.?He writes for Where Peter Is and Diocesan.
One Comment
Peter Aiello
There is this idea out there that suffering is a pathway to peace. The peace that we get from unconditionally trusting in God helps us to better endure suffering. Unless suffering motivates us to go to God for peace, it doesn?t do us any good.