Does God Want Us to Suffer?

Past Revisited – Reflection # 6: Does God want us to suffer?

A beautiful movie on the life of CS Lewis – Shadowland – is a must to see for us in the Academic world.

                         

In one of CS Lewis’ lectures in London, he began with a question surrounding the terrible bus accident at Chatham on December 9^th killing children. Does God want us to suffer?

“Where was God on December 9^th?

Why God did not stop the bus?

Is he not supposed to be good?

Or does God want us to suffer?

He wants us to love and to be loved.

He loves us that he makes us suffer.”

CS Lewis leads us to find meaning in pain and suffering. Suffering is “God’s platform” to show his love.

Have we been really hurt?  It is when we are hurt, that we truly learn.

In our life’s journey, we have to face pains and sufferings in the end.  Yes, we can face them, because we have a view of heaven and everlasting life.

Well, and what is heaven?  It is an experience compared to a child caught in the spell of the magician casting it.  The child believes in magic.  And the magic never ends!

Me…? Like the child, I, too, believe in Magic!

Jun Mercado, OMI

NDU, June 26, 2009