Father Jess Testa attended Northwestern University, John Marshall Law School, and obtained his M.Div. from Sacred Heart School of Theology in 1988.   He says of suffering, “We know that there is suffering in the world. This cannot be denied. The question always seems to arise, "How do we reconcile all the suffering in the world with a God of love?"  There is NO satisfactory answer that will satisfy ALL people. In all humility I must admit this is a feeble attempt to try. First we must start with some givens and then work from there. The givens,(1) God did not intend for us to suffer. We were created to enjoy everlasting happiness with Him for all eternity. (2) Suffering entered the world as a result of sin...original sin. (3) If we live long enough, ALL people will have a cross at some point in their life. An illness of a loved one or oneself, death of a loved one, etc. There is NO escape from the cross. (4) Any cross that may come our way, God will send us the graces to endure. With those four things as a given we can proceed.  We suffer on account of the existence of evil. Evil is a distortion of good. So, now we know why the existence of suffering.. evil. That does not mean that God punishes us for something we did wrong here. A person does not go blind because they sinned, as an example.” (which was the view of many people in Scripture).

"How is one to cope with suffering? As stated above NO ONE escapes the cross. It is what we do with it that will either crush us or help us to grow. We know of the existence of God but suffering can cloud our wisdom and vision at times. As a result of suffering some may deny the existence of God or say God does not love me (false).  We are speaking here of faith - STRONG FAITH." The above is taken in part from a previous article published several years ago in A CatholicView.  For reading in full, use this link: Father Jess - The Meaning of Suffering.

St Augustine writes, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in God."  Even though trials and tribulations are heavy loads to carry, we move in faith, knowing that all our suffering hones and refines us to acknowledge and accept that we need only one thing to endure; and that is the strength of Jesus Christ to help us carry our burdens. 

Father Michael D. Guinan, O.F.M., is a professor of Old Testament, Semitic Languages and Biblical Spirituality at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California .  He wrote an article titled "Why Do We Suffer?" and states,  “Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis. wars, accidents, sickness and death, natural disasters and those produced by human error or malice bring with them so much suffering.  Some of the earliest literature known in history, from Egypt and Mesopotamia, attests that even then people called out, “Why?”  In the lament psalms of the Bible, the psalmist, too, cries out, “Why, Lord?” (Psalm10:1).  Our voices join an age-old chorus!  The problem of suffering is a difficult one.  How can we understand the justice and goodness of God in the face of so much broken human experience? 

"Perhaps the best example in the Bible of such a struggle is found in the Book of Job.  Job suffers the loss of possessions and family, and is afflicted with a terrible disease.  Three friends hear of his plight and come to console him.  After Job’s cry of pain (Job, Ch. 3), the discussion begins.  Why is Job suffering?  One easy answer that surfaces right away is that Job deserves it, that he is suffering because of his sins (see 4:7-19; 11:4-6).  When Job rejects this explanation, his friends counter, in effect, “Don’t give us that!  All humans are rotten sinners!”  For them, there is no such thing as an innocent sufferer.  All suffering is somehow a punishment for sin.  Sad to say, Job’s friends have vocal descendants down to our present day.  While it is true that our sinful actions can and do have consequences, as an all-purpose explanation, this one is far too simplistic.

"Even within the Book of Job, the situation is more complicated.  We, the readers, know right from the start that the friends are wrong here.  Job is righteous, and his suffering is allowed by God in order to test his virtue (Ch. 1-2). Other answers also appear in the book.  Like any good ancient Near Eastern father, God disciplines us through suffering to make us better (5:17-18; 36:15; see also Proverbs 3:11-12).  Or, suffering is mysterious, and who are we to understand God’s ways? (Proverbs11:7-10; Proverbs15:8-9).

"Although these responses may give some temporary relief, ultimately they are not terribly satisfactory as answers to the meaning of suffering.  While we do seek to understand, perhaps this is not the best way to approach the problem.  In fact, maybe the problem with suffering is that ultimately it is not really a “problem” at all.  It is, rather, a mystery.

"What is the difference? A problem is something “out there.”  We can see all the pieces; we can survey all its dimensions.   The question is, how do we put it together? How do we “solve” it?   Problems are solved on the intellectual level.  A mystery, on the other hand, is quite different.  It is a situation in which I, as a unique human being, am so immersed, am so surrounded, that I can never get far enough away to see it all “out there.” Love is a mystery; so is death. And so is suffering.  Mysteries involve us on the deepest personal level of our relationships with ourselves, with others, with the natural world and with God. To be human is to be enmeshed in these relationships.  When they grow into greater wholeness (through love) or when they come apart (through suffering), we are in the presence of mystery. We will never “solve” the meaning of suffering any more than we will “solve” the meaning of love.

"Something more important remains to be said.   At the heart of our Christian faith is the affirmation that in and through the Incarnation, Jesus has entered into these relationships as well. Jesus shared fully in our human condition.  And when He faced His suffering and death, He too called out, “Why?”  His final words from the cross were, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  (Mark 15:34; Matt 27:46; citing the opening verse of Psalm 22).  We know that God did not forsake Jesus but raised Him up in and by the Spirit of love to everlasting resurrection-life.

"Nowhere in Scripture do we read, “Have faith in Me, and you will understand all things, including [or, especially] suffering!”  But we do read, whatever the suffering, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”  We do not suffer alone.  Together, we will survive all suffering, even death itself!"   (http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/EDC/ag1006.asp)  

C.S. Lewis, author and Oxford scholar once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”   Romans 3:5 tells us, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.    And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.”  And James 1:2-3 relates,  “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow….”  Consider Hebrews 12: 5-7, "Do not lose courage when you are punished, for the Lord disciplines whom He loves. The Lord loves each one of us more than we love ourselves, and will only permit suffering if it brings about our salvation.”