Dear Father Joe: So many good people I know have suffered horribly in the last month and I?m really struggling to hold on to my faith. Why do good people suffer? How do I keep my faith in these times?
I?m sorry that things are so hard for you and your loved ones right now. As a priest, it?s not uncommon for me to experience first-hand the great suffering that many people, good and bad, go through. Struggling with our faith at times like these is not something we should shy away from.
I think too often we look at the sorrow and pain that we and others experience and we try to theologize about it. We get a bit defensive or angry with God and try to defuse our defensiveness or anger with ideas we think might help us cope. We attempt consolation with clich
