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The Problem of Pain: Why God Permits Suffering

The Problem of Pain: Why God Permits Suffering

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This powerful and deeply moving sermon addresses one of life's most difficult questions: why does a good and loving God permit pain and suffering? Bishop Sheen argues that understanding the Christian answer to this question is essential for anyone grappling with personal tragedy, doubt, or the injustices of the world. He offers not a simple formula, but a profound theological vision that reframes suffering from a meaningless tragedy into a potential instrument of redemption. This message is for anyone who has ever asked "why?" in the face of hardship and is seeking a response that satisfies both the heart and the mind.

Sheen masterfully builds his case using compelling stories and scripture. He begins with the heart-wrenching modern-day account of a young woman confined to an iron lung, whose husband abandons her in the most cruel way imaginable. From there, he delves into the ancient story of Job, illustrating how simplistic human explanations for suffering always fall short. Sheen explains that God’s response to Job was not to provide an easy answer, but to reveal a divine plan so vast and mysterious that it puts human suffering into a completely different perspective.

Ultimately, Sheen reveals that the only true answer to the problem of pain is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He explains the "transference" of suffering, where Christ voluntarily took upon himself all three forms of human agony: physical, mental (loneliness, doubt, betrayal), and moral (the weight of all sin). By enduring the Cross, God did not remain distant from our pain but entered into it completely. Sheen concludes by contrasting the world's desire for a "superstar" with the reality of Christ, the "super-scar"—the one whose wounds prove His love and offer a path to transform our own suffering into something eternally meaningful.

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