We have been hearing from the letter to the Hebrews in our daily masses these past several weeks. Today’s message from Hebrews tells us to look at the pains and sufferings that we have in our lives, but that we should not be discouraged by these experiences, nor should we take them lightly. The Hebrews saw their trials and sufferings as a form or punishment or rejection by God, but, the author of Hebrews advises them to approach these trials instead as a form of discipline or training, not as retribution from God.
Throughout the history of Christianity, humans have wondered why God would allow us to suffer if he was omniscient and all-powerful. The great medieval Catholic philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas outlined two criteria for human suffering. First, he asserted that humans suffer when we are not able to be who we ought to be, when we are not able to realize our full potential. Second, we suffer when we are kept from the desire of our hearts. Notice that Aquinas does not list physical pain as a necessary component of human suffering. According to Aquinas, God allows us to suffer because it brings us closer to our full potential and to the desires of our heart, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first. An interesting idea for us to ponder.
I always enjoy when we have our readings from the Letter to the Hebrews in our Daily Masses. It is perhaps a rather neglected book of the Bible, but has such a great richness and depth upon which we can reflect.
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