My struggle has always been this: how to reconcile that God is Love with the suffering of innocents. Every answer I’ve ever read - even from the best apologists – leaves me cold. My faith live seems better off when I don’t try to ascribe God any qualities at all.
PeterJP
Yes the matter of “suffering of innocents” is a difficult one.
I have resolved this matter for myself as basically a problem of “world-view”.
Suffering here, especially “suffering of innocents” must be for the building up of the Kingdom. Suffering invites us to recognize how much we rely on God and how little we can do on our own. It is an invitation to grow closer to God.
With this view, the suffering can be seen as comparable to the sore muscles that an athlete gets when he pushes himself further…Yes there is pain…but it is pain that results in greater strength.
Some time ago I saw a T-shirt that said, “Pain is just weakness leaving the body”.
A good adage for us in our spiritual lives.
Of course when it is small children who suffer, those too young to recognize their need for God etc…then it is we who become “god” for them while they come to understand…They rely on us, for everything…and most especially for reassurance that their pain and suffering is not without purpose. Amazingly, as we care for them and do all we can - in love - we can find ourselves growing in holiness to an extent we hadn’t considered before…
I know the above is not very clear…It is so hard to explain in human language or in just a few paragraphs. But I think you will find the answers make more sense when viewed more from a mystical perspective than from an “apologetic” perspective.
Read some of the mystics on the subject. The book in my signature is a great introduction to the subject of the Catholic mystic tradition. St Catherine addresses the matter of suffering in her “Dialogues” as well.
Hope the above helps in some small way.
Peace
James
