If anyone lets COVID shake their faith the it a fare weather faith. Consider all the tragedies in history. As soon back as the 1917 Spanish flu. Yes, Covid is horrible but we need a stronger faith than that. The people that suffered through that actually went to church more. My heart aches for the families of the one’s lost to this horrible virus but God is our place of comfort, not a God playing a game that we should question. God Bless everyone.

Pray, hope and don't worry! (Padre Pio).

Jesus told and showed us that there will be crosses to bear...Let us pray we can endure unto the end

This channel is an oasis for the mind.

Bottom line .... This earthly existence, suffering, and all? is over much too quickly? We must have, keep a firm, solid FAITH in God, an afterlife? .... Or what were we really born for? Eternity would tell us .... we were born only to give GLORY, PRAISE to GOD!

I‘ve heard many people say that they couldn‘t believe in God because of all the evil and suffering in the world - but I always had the feeling there was a deeper, more personal pain behind that blanket excuse. But one of the reasons I believe in God is precisely because I couldn‘t even cope with my own pain without him, let alone with the suffering of the rest of the world. And by his Passion and death, Jesus has proved to us that God hasn‘t kept aloof from any of our suffering, he went through it all to the end - and beyond.

Yes I will lament and complain but I won’t be shaken in my trust in God. Pray for my faith

When it comes to suffering, no person comes close to better explaining it than rabbi Harold Kushner in his bestseller, When Bad Things Happen To Good People ! I have no patience for pious people who go through suffering and claim they never question God.

I lost my brother Michael to covid in April 2020, plus I suffer from a debilitating condition that limits my life generally. I've become closer to God if anything, because of these challenges. I've no idea why, but I'm immensely grateful.

This is my favorite youtube channel hands down

In the book Silence by Shusaku Endo, Christ says to the tortured apostate priest " I understand your pain and your suffering. It is for that reason that I am here." " Lord, I resented your silence," says the priest. Christ says "I was not silent . I suffered beside you". I find this book comforting and challenging in its examination of suffering.

Suffering taught me to pray for souls in purgatory 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Quite an amazing response to suffering! I was looking for the mercy chaplet, left KZfaq on an interesting animal report, proceeded to do my mercy chaplet and was complaining to God even to the point of arrogance!🙈 Came back to the phone and there you were talking about my complaint! How does that happen?🙈 Sometimes I wonder if God exists at arms reach! 👀I'm often baffled by how he responds!😱 Amaaazing!Thank You!🙏🏻✝️🙏🏻

Negotiating suffering gives life meaning and Almighty God gives me the strength to go through. Sad about those peopke who found it challenging. So did I: list my husband, lost my job. I can't see the light yet. But God's with me and I'm getting through. Take care and thank you, Bishop Barron.

For me, personally, any suffering that I have had, I've deserved. I think that it has made me a better person and I am eternally grateful that the good Lord has given me the opportunity to repent and to serve Him and His people. It is an ongoing endeavor to surrender more fully and completely to Him. This pandemic has been a golden opportunity to live in solitude to come ever closer to our Lord.

I am commenting before listening. My thought when I read the title. Suffering SHAPES our faith. 😊

Thank you Bishop Barron. You make me realize how much we assume there is something wrong if suffering is present. That thinking led me on a detour into the Indian teaching of Advaita, or non-duality, that practically crushed my soul. So glad to be finding my way back to Christ and the church. Thanks to you!

As someone who's been challenged with a life changing illness, I've been drawn closer to God more than ever. We tend to think temporally in this life and this is natural, but God and Heaven are eternal.

I like the way the cameras pull back and show more depth of the room. It is more grounded.

IT was a long and debilitating illness that drew me back to Jesus Christ and his Church. IT took a few years but I am now healed and feel so greatful. Thank you Lord!

I've just realised that I was taught not to complain to God. It changes my mind.

Suffering is the most difficult path to a love of God. To believe that there are elements of God’s plan that are beyond human comprehension is not difficult. In fact , it is human arrogance that would think otherwise. I don’t expect my dog to understand calculus. And, I don’t expect to always understand God’s calculus. The best I can do is to believe that God is love, and in that love God endures our suffering standing always close by.

I've always liked Jesus' hidden commentary on his suffering during his last hours--psalm 22. We remember the phrase, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" However, like a song remembered by its first line, Jesus is using a rabbinical teaching method to prompt a contemplation of the whole psalm to the (often forgotten) end --"future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!"

Paz y Bien. Estamos más cerca cuando hemos sufrido, aunque no entendamos ni entonces ni ahora. Paz.

Bishop Thank you . No condemnation...I’ve been frustrated with seeking God through Catholic Prayers...being affiliated with a non-denominational religion stating Jesus is NOT God (with all the frustrations of being black /approaching retirement age, etc) I will still state” I’m thankful and grateful as I complain “🙏🏾❤️🙏🏾

Thank you Bishop Barron, it is in the pain and suffering that we can feel closest to God, if we so choose 🙏🏻

My experience of my dad suffering sickness and dying opened me to another dimension of my relationship with God. I am not the same. It was tough. Suffering does something that we can't even put well into words... Well expressed. Thank you, BB.

Beautiful

I am incredibly grateful for this reflection! The philosophical problem of how All loving and all powerful God can allow evil simply wears one out. It remains unresolved and only gives an excuse to doubt God's existence, His goodness and His love. Thank you Bishop Barron for offering such different perspective and reminding us of the biblical view of suffering.

Thank you Padre.

My father died of covid last december and was And Is still the worst thing i have felt but thanks to my parents who gave me a catholic raising, i have not doubt of God so far i think Many people wants a God who solves their lives in every way AND God can do that but they dont believe they just dont want to live , jesús called God Father and a Father has to give lesson to their childs God has gave us freedom to all of us and our acts bring suffer or joy not only to US but others

Word.

Wonderful to listen to this small reflection. Encouraging. God bless Bishop Barron.

Thank you bishop Barron. An excellent tool for the toolbox.

Thank you for this clarity..clearly the wrong gospel has really gotten into our heads. This is such clear Biblical teaching

Some of the best words for explaining love and suffering from any theologian. Thank you Bishop🙏🏻

Brief summary: God says “I love you” with his fist over and over again and we have no idea why.

Thank you very much Bishop, you have explained it just perfect.

Love you Father. Thank you for all

Excellent

From Misión Cruz Hermitage in Somerset, Texas. Blessings

The problem is partly because the church has encouraged us down the centuries urged us to pray to God to deliver us from and save us from suffering

Thank you Bishop Barron for all the work you do. Thank you for teaching us and trying to get us to know Christ and understand the teachings of the Church a little bit better. I read a few of the questions from your last Reddit session. May I suggest that you write a book (kind of like “Crossing the Threshold of Hope”) with answers to some of the more well thought out and interesting questions. You might have answered them in some of your previous writings, but if presented in a book format it might attract more readers... just a thought..

Now, I don't understand why there is so much suffering and pain on Earth. If you are lucky to be a billionaire's son/daughter, life will be much easier for you. Now, we can complain to God, but if He is going to do what He wants, I don't understand why should we constantly pray? For example, I am begging you to help me financially and you hit me with more bills and eviction from my house...

Your final point as you wonder about the clergy being a tad philosophical about the existence of God is spot on Bishop Barron. In my humble opinion....

Well said. 🙏🙏🙏

Amén Bishop Baron👏👏👏🙏🕊✝️💞

It solidified my faith in God. Humanity may have gone full loon in their over reaction to Covid. But God, He’s rock solid. Always has been and always will be.

what amazes me every day is how all people who were closest to God, had to suffer like him....and they loved it!...I think that is simmilar to suffer that sportsman endure...the suffer to them is like playing the game of life...they do want it! they see purpose in it...doing some good work for God

Bishop Barron, BRAVO for bringing up the fact that we have a problem with how we catechize our children. As I've said so many times, we have Catholic adults walking around with an image of God learned when they were 7 preparing for Holy Communion, or at best, Confirmation at age 13. And that image does not serve us well into adulthood and that, in my estimation, is why so many adults leave the Church. So my question is this...is the USCCB addressing this issue? It just seems to me that our Protestant brothers and sisters have this down better than we Catholics do. As always, you are the best!

I figure it this way, if you’re suffering now, it’s not over yet. Keep on holding on - and keep looking for the recovery .: God is faithful !

Susan Neiman points out that a very significant dimension of suffering is generated by our expectations: the modern protest against suffering seems to arise from an almost gnostic sense that all suffering reflects a kind of “manufacturer’s error”. It’s as if we expect never to suffer - a sensibility that I suspect was almost unknown prior to the emergence of the modern Theodicy debate in the 18th century. One indicator of spiritual maturity can sometimes be expressed in saying, “Why not me?” instead of “Why me?” However, I also believe that we should be ruthlessly honest with ourselves - and with God - when we cry out in pain - we’re definitely allowed to get angry with God, the duty to be truthful demands nothing less.

I don't know if suffering brings you closer to, or further from, your faith. I think that the answer to that question lies within who you are, how you are and your expectations of Our Lord and GOD. I don't know that suffering brings me any closer and I know that i have become all about myself with mental anguish. That can certainly separate you from your faith. But as the suffering continues, we make a choice. To blame GOD, to blame ourselves or maybe to blame our parents or someone who hurt us in some way. We try to deflect the suffering onto someone else. Well, that is one choice. I have never been a finger pointer and would be more likely to blame myself and I have never had the audacity to have any expectations of GOD. Not suggesting that you or anyone should or shouldn't but it is certainly not MY right. But there is an expectation on us to be joyful, and I am unsure how we can exist in Heaven if we are not. I am not joyful when i suffer and i do not enjoy pain. I have it and have since childhood and it only increases with age. Whether from sins of my past, sins of my parents, sins of my people or maybe simply the luck of the draw. Don't know but we all have our cross to bear. I have experienced true joy in my life, on several occasions. But, I am not a joyful person. Not unhappy but happiness and joy are not the same thing. My first period of pure joy was as a child, when i had a personal visit/encounter with the Holy Spirit. It was absolute and perfect and something that I will never forget. Other periods of absolute joy, that i have experienced and would compare to that day, is when the pain vanishes. Not from drugs, as that fogs your brain as it masks the pain and you don't feel great emotion of any kind. With drugs, the pain remains but is lessened, and the goofy lightheadedness is not an emotion. So, without the ability to succinctly communicate anything of substance, it takes me forever to get to the point. I don't believe that we will have these pains after we die and suffering now brings us closer to GOD if we allow it AND prepares us to be more joyful when it is gone. Not necessarily agreeing that suffering in this world purifies us for heaven because there are choices to be made. I find it hard to believe that GOD would cause me to be in pain. I don't pray for relief which would mean that I pray more, thus bringing me closer to my faith. No, none of those things. I could say it is a happy accident to see the benefit of suffering as i don't see THAT either. Just suggesting that it can. Or maybe i hope that it can and fool myself. But as it is a consolation, i am okay if i am mistaken, because the belief that I will see greater joy makes this a lot easier to tolerate. Win win!

“ We Pray 🙏 Because we BELIEVE 🙌🏽 “

You know what a faithful Priest told me once during a side conversation during Mass? I said these are the Day's Priest! He said it's always been the Day's? Praise God. Jesus lives.

Solid videography.

Most people on this thread relate suffering to their own suffering. That shows a lack of empathy. The problem with suffering isn't your own suffering. It is the problem with the suffering in which no lesson is taught. And, it is the problem of the magnitude of suffering. The fact that the problem of suffering isn't a Biblical problem isn't a strength. It is a weakness of the Bible. For example, when we evaluate modern news sources, and we look for bias, it isn't always how a story is slanted. It is how some stories are ignored, because these stories don't reinforce the overall narrative or political slant of that particular news source. For those who resonate with the problem of suffering, and it is addressed in the Bible in the book of Job, the paucity of material is a detriment to accepting the message. Theodicy is an unacceptable concept. The Bible presents two main possible solutions to suffering. In the case of Israel, suffering is the result of revolt against God's will. It is just punishment. In Job, the response is the Euthyphro conclusion that things are holy because God does them and who are we to question. Both of these point to a God for whom might makes right and who practices collective punishment, even on the innocent, including animals. The ten plagues of Egypt clearly point to a God who will punish infants and animals for an act that he encourages, by hardening Pharaoh's heart. Those first born animals were killed, merely for being Egyptian or owned by Egyptians, whether or not they even supported the actions of Pharaoh, who ruled them. And, of course, for example, if the Holocaust was "instructive", could one less person have died, especially, say, a 5 year old who died of painful disease or starvation? In a forest fire, which is not instructive, could one less deer have been burned alive, a deer that nobody knew about, and had no instructive power? I respect the Bishop's learning, but I have yet to hear of a sufficient answer to needless suffering, either man or nature caused.

"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God" (Philippians 2:14-15).

Thank you Bishop. You're drawing so many people (including myself) to consider embracing the Roman Catholic Church.

Thank you Bishop Barron!! I remember one passage from Thomas a Kempis' book, The Imitation of Christ, he stated there that "Love is swift, sincere, pious, pleasant, gentle, strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, manly, and never seeking her own; for wheresoever a man seeketh his own, there he falleth from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright; not weak, not fickle, nor intent on vain things; sober, chaste, steadfast, quiet, and guarded in all the senses. Love is subject and obedient to all that are in authority, vile and lowly in its own sight, devout and grateful towards God, faithful and always trusting in Him even when God hideth His face, for without sorrow we cannot live in love." God bless you and your ministry Bishop Barron!!

"We were born to suffer." - C-3PO

At the time of writing this, my father's brain cancer had returned for a 3rd time. It took me a while to calm down. However, im still caught on one thing. I said "If this is, your will Lord just tell me why. Please just tell me." Im NOT angery that suffering happing. I'm angry because I want an explanation as to WHY. That's all I want. An explanation.

Our suffering is but a small shadow of the suffering we have seen others endure. Yet, their faith is unshaken. We try to offer our discomforts to God for the repose of souls.

Thank you Bishop Barron for sharing your personal thoughts during your prayers. This message is enlightening. God bless you!

Faith is found through suffering, Jesus is the God who has come down in the human flesh, it is the only Christian answer to suffering and God, God himself has suffered for our sins, died, and was raised in glory. Patient endurance is the test for our faith, if everything is alright there is no point to believe. I'm not sure why my comment in this video was gone, maybe I deleted it by mistake? God bless you Bishop.

🙏❤️

In contrary, suffering is precondition to believe in God. Only in face of suffering, We surrender our egos, Strip away self-deceits, Only then, We hear the booming voice, Only then, We see the burning bush.

I don't know too much about suffering bur i born suffering i live then in suffer i think i'm still passing suffering bur what change everytime is a different suffering this change yes, but i can't remember times without suffering in my Life talking clearly and serious!

Bishop Barron, I absolutely love your videos. I am a newly confirmed catholic and I have decided to start veiling at mass, can you do a video on women veiling?

Intelligent observation on the part of the bishop.I think the answer lies in the way modern utopian political ideas affect the modern mind. Modern folks expect human problems to be solved easily. The people living at the time the Bible was written expected life to be difficult most of the time. The possible exception being the ancient Hebrews wondering in the desert. For some reason they demanded God make things easy for them.

Please Bishop speak on betrayal and how to live past it.

A conversation can be had as to God's relationship to suffering and humanity but regardless of the outcome do any of us really want to live in a world without suffering of any kind?

Amene

It's only in suffering that we learn and grow to be what God intended us to be... We're like immature children who only learn the hard way.

Father Barron, if you want some food for thought and also know what young people are up to, I think you should take a look at an album called "Everywhere at the End of Time." It's an album that simulates the decline of the mind from dementia, and i think it has a very powerful memento mori theme.

Praise the Lord

We don’t know what good or evil is without God. God is innate, absolute, total. He is goodness itself. Therefore when we ask, why would God allow bad things to happen?, we are assuming that we have a greater knowledge of what Goodness is than the One who literally is Goodness itself. We assume that we must have some better idea of what Goodness is than God, without whom we would have no concept of Love and Goodness. Just my take. Pax Christus.

Suffering entered when we humans disobey (ob audire) God by listening the evil one I.e. original sin and all sin (deafness of God) derived. There are three types: 1) Suffering of the cross = our struggles to follow Christ’s teachings of love to get to heaven in a fallen world. 2) Unnecessary suffering = We listen a lie or permit the evil one to make us suffer. 3) Redemptive suffering = Pays for others sins. (Christ, some saints and victim souls). It seems that suffering is related to individual/family sin, group/ local sin and national/world sin. It would be a good topic to unfold by Bishop Barron 🙏🏼

"Here below, true love cannot exist without suffering" -St. Bernadette

I’m still confused by the disjoint between New and Old Testament God. He went from jealous lover demanding obedience and punishing to Cervantes in the New Testament.

The conundrum (if it may be called that historically) is a function of luxury and the alienating bias it creates. The solution is not "oh, then we must divest ourselves." Life does that in various ways. Our response is to cooperate with the Spirit in guiding us into deeper trust in the God with whom we have to do.

I’m constantly seeking to understand. I need to stop doing that.

Sorry that I did, thought, said and wish any bad towards you Bishop in anyway

I understand this but yet when I suffer and experience stress, God and prayer seem to be the last thing I can utter. This puzzles me. I spoke to a close friend and she also claimed same thing. In midst of deep sorrow is the hardest to look above.

Thank you for this video, Bishop Barron. My name is Lourenço, I'm from Portugal. I have been questoning myself about this. However, after watching this video, the big question remain: how can our God, who we belive to be the creator, would allow deseases such as cancer to Good people or tsunamis killing children? I understand the suffering of Jesus, since it was inflicetd by humans! However, nature is not uppon us... It is uppon the one that we believe to be the creator. Then, my question remains: how can God allow a cancer to a person that deffinetly embodies the Holy Spirit by his actions? How can we, people around these beautiful human beings, interpret this? Is a way of God saying "see! this is how you should act"? It is because they already accomplished what God wanted for them and so the time to end their journey on earth should end? Are these the things God can't control? Are these things evil's work? I honestly do not understand. I do not understand the christian prespective for the end of life of these people that give so much Life to the ones around them. Maybe you could help me Bishop Barron...

God is infinite in power and he loves me infinitely. There is no snatching out of his hand. God will never send me where his grace cannot sustain me. If he asks me to do something difficult, like become a priest, he will give me the grace to do it. I will not fail because he is with me. And I will be happy because I am doing his will. Even if I lack some of the needed qualities, God will help me develop them. In his will lies my peace All fears can be overcome by increasing one’s faith, hope, and love. In fact, it is not overly simplistic to state that every problem known to man can be fixed by these three theological virtues “There are only three kinds of persons; those who serve God, having found Him; others who are occupied in seeking Him, not having found Him; while the remainder live without seeking Him and without having found Him. The first are reasonable and happy, the last are foolish and unhappy; those between are unhappy and reasonable.” Brannen, Fr. Brett. To Save a Thousand Souls: A Guide for Discerning a Vocation to Diocesan Priesthood . Vianney Vocations.

Hello Bishop, I don’t know if you’ll be able to see this but this question is about Job’s lamentation to God which may be considered as a prayer. If I am not mistaken, you’ve mentioned in one of your talks about prayer about a wife whose husband died after a long battle with his illness who expressed her anger and frustration towards God by throwing rocks at Mother Mary’s statue. It was said that this is also a form of prayer. Wouldn’t this be considered a sin? To what extent can we be “angry” towards God for it not to be considered a sin? Thank you very much, Bishop Barron! Your teachings have always encouraged and sustained me. God bless you always.

We live in a spiritual storm that is growing with intensity. We are in a battle. Pope John Paul II had visions of the future, while convalescing after an attempt on his life and was aware of a great storm on the horizon: "Precisely at the end of the second millennium, there accumulates on the horizon of all mankind enormously threatening clouds, and darkness falls upon mankind." An awakening is coming!! Pope John Paul talked about the Lamb (Jesus Christ), who is the only one able to open up the seven seals: "That scroll contains the whole series of divine decrees that must be accomplished in human history to make perfect justice prevail. If the scroll remains sealed, these decrees can be neither known nor implemented, and wickedness will continue to spread and oppress believers. Hence, the need for authoritative intervention: it would be made by the slain and risen Lamb...to take the scroll and to open its seals." In 1981, Mary, Mother of Jesus, visits six young teenagers (1 preteen) at Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzgovina, and announces a Warning is coming but now claims 10 secrets or events are going to unfold without a doubt. The first event: "It is a Warning. It has to be seen... this has to shake us up, so the world will start thinking... but to prove there is a God... the first Warning will be self-explanatory. The first seven apparitions of Mary at Medjugorje are approved as supernatural now. The Warning will be God's intervention into every person's life when everyone on earth, all at the same time, will see their sins of their entire life. This is the part of the first seal of Revelation unfolding. According to Catholic prophecies, this 5th Church age we live in is “coming to a close”, after 10 events unfold that Mary, Mother of Jesus has predicted at some major apparition sites throughout the world. This information also comes from canonized saint’s prophecies. A 6th Church age of peace will come, the Triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. There is a 7th Church age in the future as well. The Church ages correlate with the seven Churches in Revelation. These events will take place from about now 2021 to 2038. A book and web site called, afterthewarningto2038.com has prophecies from credible sources that are predicting these kinds of events and what is coming.

How does the church reconcile what they did up in Canada to the indiganeous children by mudering them at their Catholic school. I have been asked by a person who has become an atheist from being Catholic because of all the cruelty the Church has dole out over the course of history.

Jesus himself use this Psalm to prove he is the son of the Most High Jehovah. Psalms 82 God takes his place in the divine assembly (HEAVEN); In the middle of the gods he judges. 6 “I have said, ‘You are gods, All of you are sons of the Most High (Angels) 7 But you will die just as men do (Rebel Angels) John 10: 33 The Jews answered him: “We are stoning you, not for a fine work, but for blasphemy; for you, although being a man, make yourself a god.” 34 Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said: “You are gods”’?.. 35 IF HE (JEHOVAH) CALLED 'GODS' those against whom the word of God came-and yet the scripture cannot be nullified- 36 do you say to me - WHOM THE FATHER SANCTIFIED AND 'SENT' INTO THE WORLD...- ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said...‘I am God’s Son’?

Here is a personal reflection on suffering I offered this year as a Lenten reflection: The crucifixion of Christ didn’t eliminate suffering for humanity, so say nonbelievers. His resurrection however, provided a “way” for believers to transcend it. Jesus accepted his worldly suffering, rather than submitting to the evil nature of his persecutors. He chose the cross over conformity and our church history is filled with people who willingly did the same as Christ.

How often do those who are lamenting suffering and making themselves God's judge remember the flip side of the coin? When God gets blamed for the suffering, does he get thanked for all the good things?

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *📖 Discussion on the compatibility of suffering with the existence of God* - The existence of suffering does not disprove the existence of a loving God from a biblical perspective. - Even innocent suffering is seen as compatible with God's existence in the bible. 02:28 *💡 Examples of suffering in the Bible* - Instances from the Bible such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and others show people who were loved by God going through suffering. - The collective sufferings of Israel, God's chosen people, are also highlighted, culminating in Jesus's suffering on the cross. 04:08 *🎯 Interpreting the purpose of suffering* - Various rationales for suffering are proposed within the Bible, including as a result of sin, a means of purification, or unknown divine designs. - Rather than denying God's existence, biblical figures like Job choose to lament to God, demonstrating a continued faith. 06:22 *📚 The role of religious educators in shaping understanding of suffering and faith* - Religious educators may bear some responsibility for failing to adequately advance the biblical conception of God and suffering. - The suggestion is made to engage with God in seeking understanding, using the metaphor of Jacob wrestling with the angel. 07:57 *🙏 Encouraging humility in the face of God's mysterious designs* - Encouragement is given not to use suffering as a denial of God, but to lament and struggle with it, seeking understanding. - Humility is encouraged in the face of sufferings that might not be fully understood. Made with HARPA AI

Joseph of the Coat of Many Colors too.

I need this video with Spanish translation!

I believe in a God that does not intervene. I don't believe in a God that would kill my family and ruin my life just to win a bet with Satan.

In a way, Jesus taught us that the problem of pleasure should be more concerning to us than the problem of suffering. We are called upon to take up our crosses, not to be comfortable and cozy. The Christian answer to the problem of suffering is to show that God's priorities are different and higher than ours. Are you poor? Oppressed? Sick? Have faith and love your neighbor as yourself. All the rest is a distraction. Its a hard lesson to teach in this culture of hedonism and consumerism.

I think God brings great good in our life by sending suffering!! If he can suffer, so should we!! Thank you Bishop Barron 🙏

It is interesting because in Tolkien’s work his creation story had a beautiful theodicy built into in. In the beginning there was God and twelve angels and they sung creation into existence. However one of the angels, Melkor sought to introduce dissonance to cause the song to go awry. However every time Melkor sung a dissonant high note it was cancelled by a low note from God. When Melkor tried to sing a dissonant low note it was cancelled by a high note. All this played out and eventually creation was finished but the dissonant notes and their cancellations proceeded to ring through the created physical world as well until the end of the age when all was finally restored. It was a great metaphor with creation being made of music foundationally and Melkor singing his own song but God resolving his dissonant notes in the symphony of creation. Weaving evil and its resolution into the same song and cancelling it out. It is kind of like a master symphony conductor and an audience heckler. Instead of his heckling killing the symphony, the conductor weaves the heckling into a beautiful work of music resolving the dissonance in the song. Reminds me of Joseph’s inspired words at Gen 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

God does not mind if we get angry at Him for whatever reason. You can get as angry at God as you want. But never forget His mercy. I want my earthly life to be all about following Him.