New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
It is not against the virtue of faith to question God
Faith is a gift from God and moves us to focus on God in whom we place our trust.
This is easy in good times, but when we and our faith are challenged, as we are now during this horrible pandemic, it becomes more difficult to trust in God. So we ask, why the pandemic in the first place? Why don’t you stop it? Why is my prayer met with silence from you? Why did my father or mother have to die in a nursing home where we couldn’t visit them?
It is not against the virtue of faith to question God. I hope that what follows may help us to attain greater peace from God and a greater trust even when we don’t get answers to our questions. Please know that I grapple with these questions, as well.
First, before you were created, God made a commitment to you because God loves you, a commitment to be with you throughout your life. Faith helps us see this astounding truth rooted in Jesus’ words, “I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”
Surely Jesus knows what it is to suffer and seemingly not to be heard. He prayed to be freed from his horrific passion but his prayer was met with silence from his Father. Thus he went through it for love of us and was rewarded when the Father raised him from the dead and made him the source of life and goodness and strength for all who believe in him.
This example is so important for us. Since he went through so much suffering in his lifetime, he not only sympathizes with us but stands with us, helping us to persevere in the midst of darkness and pain.
His mother, Mary, who lived by faith as we do, must have asked God why her son had to suffer such cruelties. But she trusted in God, who would draw good out of the crushing evil inflicted on her son. And her hopes were not in vain.
Another example: One of our priests, who is now deceased, was among the first American military to enter the appalling Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. He found a man, a walking skeleton, who happened to be a Polish priest. Since my friend was born of Polish parents, the two were able to converse. The prisoner told him that at one time there were 2,500 priests but now their numbers had been reduced to 200. At a meeting with the other survivors, he thought of what he could give them since he had access to chocolate, soap and cigarettes. To a man they requested Bibles, such was their thirst for God even after enduring untold suffering.
And what us about during the pandemic? Where is God? In those valiant health care providers who constantly risk their lives to treat those afflicted by the virus; guiding the dedicated scientists who in such a short time developed vaccines that can prevent its spread; in those families who share their food and other resources with fellow human beings who are hungry and in need after losing their jobs; and in those political leaders who are facing the pandemic and want to bring relief to the millions of persons so adversely affected.
Ultimately, God doesn’t abandon us even though we don’t get exactly what we want. In faith we realize that God’s ways are not our ways but it is certain that he remains committed to us because he loves us. So let us recall once again Jesus’ inspiring words, “I will never forsake you or abandon you for I promise to be with you always, even to the end of the ages.”