Ask Anne

Hey again, everybody! So the question that I am going to answer now is a response to, I believe, the first question I answered (the one pertaining to the pain and suffering present in the world).

Why do good and innocent people experience pain and suffering? They have not misused their free will. E.g. A totally innocent person is the victim of a drunk driver.

Well first off, I'm sorry for not directly answering your question the first time. I'll try better this time. But truthfully, I don't know. No one knows the true reasons as to why God does what He does. We have to trust in Him that His reason is a good one. Take death for example. No matter what age a person is, if it is their time, it's their time. Once you have completed what you were put on this earth to do, what God wants you to do, your time is up. Family members and friends who are left behind need to accept that death is a part of life, and God knows what He is doing. We need to learn from the deceased so we can improve ourselves.

Now I know that's not what you're asking, so I'll get back on track. I would like to think that innocent people suffer because God knows that they can handle it. Let's face it, 9 times out of 10, the innocent ones are the ones that are more Christian. They do the right thing. People who haven't reached that point of innocence and righteousness need an example, someone to look up to in a sense, to know and learn how to handle the difficulties and hardships that God puts in our path. These hardships are what bring us closer to God.

I've got to say, that's the best I can do. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. In the mean time, if this question really intrigues you (this includes everyone), ask Fr. Leo or Fr. Bracco. I'm sure that they would be happy to explain this point further, and quite honestly, they would most likely have a better, more detailed answer.

'Til next time,

Anne