The Problem of Suffering

If God is good, why does he allow suffering?  Through the centuries, that has been one of the main concerns of both believers and nonbelievers, philosophers and theologians alike.

There may be many explanations for the problem of suffering by various and sundry thinkers and Bible experts.  But simply put, “Suffering is the universal sign of achievement.”

A short few words explain it all, doesn't it?  Essentially, we know that historically, winners are always identified by their suffering.  Likewise, losers can be identified by how they curse difficulties and run from pain.  The whiners, complainers and slothful are never the winners.

Denis Waitley, a bestselling American business writer and consultant has stated something very similar when presenting his Psychology of Winning series at conferences and seminars.  He states, “Winners do what is difficult and necessary, while losers do what is fast and easy.”   Ed Foreman who once served in the House of Representatives said something analogous, "Winners are those people who make a habit of doing the things losers are uncomfortable doing."

Anything valuable, anything worth achieving, the hallmark of such success is suffering.  “Suffering is the universal sign of achievement.”  How profound!  How does an athlete get crowned?  Through “No pain, no gain,” he would say.  How does plain ore become radiant gold?  Pure fire!  How does mom deliver a new born?  It arrives through labor pains.  How does a scholar graduate?  He endures years of blood, sweat and tears.  How are sparkling diamonds formed from black coal?  They endure years of enormous pressure. How did Jesus arrive at the extraordinary brilliance of the resurrection?  He suffered through the scourging at the pillar, many insults and a brutal crucifixion. 

Surely it is through the poverty, pain, homelessness, many trials and tribulations of this life that we are born into the eternal wealth of everlasting life.  It is written,  “But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer”.  Acts 3:18

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Prison Angel - Mother Antonia Brenner

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4: 18 – 19

Mother Antonia Brenner, the “Prison Angel” was the spiritual speaker and guide at the annual Servants of the Father of Mercy retreat this past Memorial Day weekend.   Mother Antonia’s journey has taken her from Hollywood socialite in the 60s to in 1978, voluntary imprisonment and poverty in Tijuana, MX at a state penitentiary filled with hardened criminals, drug traffickers, thieves and murderers.  Check out her book “Prison Angel” at Amazon.com or DVD documentary “La Mama.”  Mother Antonia is founder of Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour.

"There is no one so ugly he does not have beauty within him –

No one so weak he does not have a great strength,

And no one so poor he is not endowed with richness  . . .

Each person is of invaluable worth."   Mother Antonia

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Forty Dollars for a Case of Water

Oklahoma Attorney General's office have discovered local business owners taking advantage of the recent tornado's victims by price-gouging, including a grocery store accused of charging $40 for a case of water.

Oklahoma Attorney General, Scott Pruitt told ABC News that 30 investigators from his office started aggressively combing the region for fraud just hours after the tornado tore through it – and immediately found business owners taking advantage of the newly homeless victims.

In addition to the $40 cases of bottled water, Pruitt said his team uncovered a hotel in the area that was allegedly overcharging in violation of the law.

"We're going to have to look at everything from work gloves to water to storage units, hotels and car rentals. And long term, we'll be dealing with home construction and repair," he said.

Despite repeated warnings to be on the lookout for scam artists after a disaster, Pruitt said many Oklahomans are still unaware that they can be ripped off.

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Pope Francis: Church must help the poorest, not dissect theology

Reuters journalist, Philip Pullella reports today from Vatican City that Pope Francis shared personal moments with 200,000 people yesterday, telling them he sometimes nods off while praying at the end of a long day and that it "breaks my heart" that the death of a homeless person is not news.

Francis, who has made straight talk and simplicity a hallmark of his papacy, made his unscripted comments in answers to questions by four people at a huge international gathering of Catholic associations in St. Peter's Square.

But he outdid himself in passionately discussing everything from the memory of his grandmother to his decision to become a priest, from political corruption to his worries about a Church that too often closes in on itself instead of looking outward.

"If we step outside of ourselves, we will find poverty," he said, repeating his call for Catholics to do more to seek out those on the fringes of society who need help the most," he said from the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.

 "Today, and it breaks my heart to say it, finding a homeless person who has died of cold, is not news. Today, the news is scandals, that is news, but the many children who don't have food - that's not news. This is grave. We can't rest easy while things are this way."

The crowd, most of whom are already involved in charity work, interrupted him often with applause.

"We cannot become starched Christians, too polite, who speak of theology calmly over tea. We have to become courageous Christians and seek out those (who need help most)," he said.

To laughter from the crowd, he described how he prays each day before an altar before going to bed.

"Sometimes I doze off, the fatigue of the day makes you fall asleep, but he (God) understands," he said.

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The First Pentecost: No One Went Hungry or Homeless

By Maria

“Give Us Today Our Daily Blog”

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4

The early Christians didn't have much as far as material things go, plus their best friend and God was taken away from them by a horrible death.  They were left alone, frightened, and confused---at first.  They had to bond together and sold what they had to look after each other so that no one ever went hungry or homeless.  Pentecost came and God's spirit shook the building, the room they were hiding in, and their souls right to the core of their being.  They now had his amazing power to take on the world, preach to anyone in hearing range, heal the sick and cast out demons, and suffer for their beliefs.

Sometimes we get so used to hearing about the Saints and Martyrs that we take it for granted and what we celebrate at church becomes just a ritual, instead of realizing that it is the way, the truth, and the life.  [Visiting Italy] looking up the catacombs gave me a much greater and deeper appreciation for my faith and background.  Italians were not Catholic because they were born into it, in their family/culture, or were baptized and go to church twice a year.  If that were the case, it would have meant nothing to them in their daily lives or at the point of their deaths.  It wasn't just about celebrating feast days or something they admired from a distance and then put back on the shelf for next time.

It was worth giving up everything for.

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The School Not Often Spoken About

“God wants us to grow in prayer.  Suffering and tribulation are a school for that.”  John Janaro, author, Never Give Up: My Life and God’s Mercy

"Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

"They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. 'We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,' they said." Acts 14: 19 – 22

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Porsche Finds Home

Are we all somehow genetically programmed to endure our earthly pilgrim journey and find home?  Take it from Porsche (photo), he’s got the pilgrimage and the journey to his home all figured out.  Now if he can only teach humans how to do the same . . .

Everyone knows cats like to take their sweet time doing anything, which might explain why a kitty named Porsche took six months to return home after disappearing during Hurricane Sandy. During the November superstorm, owner Uranie Roberts had to be evacuated from her home in the Toms River section of Chadwick Beach Island, N.J.  Roberts, her family and Porsche stayed with a relative in Point Pleasant Borough, about eight miles north, but while there, Porsche went missing. The family believed it was the last they'd seen of Porsche — until he sauntered up to his original Toms River home last Wednesday, eight miles from where he disappeared. "It's a miracle!" Roberts said.

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