November 20, 2022
Mrs. Helen Hawkins, OP
The impossible question, “Why does God allow suffering?”
Even worse, the suffering of humankind goes beyond the natural world in which all living beings are destined to suffer and die. The suffering of mankind is so often the deliberate inflicting of horror by human beings, one on another. The crucifixion of Christ and the two men who suffered with him, exemplifies this capacity of humankind for cruelty.
Although I cannot understand the “why of suffering” I do know that suffering and death must be necessary for life. Simplistic as it may seem, silk flowers do not wilt and die. But silk flowers, no matter how beautiful, cannot match the exquisite loveliness of a blooming yellow rose. There is no inanimate object in the world that can match the laughter of a small child. Painfully, we are forced to acknowledge that since we are alive, we will suffer and we will die.
On Calvary, I see two men crucified on either side of Christ. Each man is suffering the evil horror of the crucifixion. One man is filled with the anger and bitterness in his suffering and the other recognizes Christ, and inspite of the pain and fear, he reaches out to our Lord and asks to be remembered.
As far as we can know, human beings are the only creature who asks the question why suffering exists. The question, as echoed throughout human history, and no matter how logical or wise the answers have been given as to why God allows suffering, none of these explanations touch the heart and soul of a person while he or she is in great physical or emotional pain.
Blessed Mary Mother of Dominic 