Haiti’s shocking poverty was already enough to make people wonder at what seemed a radical unfairness at the center of the universe.
Now, after the devastating earthquake Hatians are pulling bodies from their destroyed shacks and lining the streets with them so passersby can lift the sheets to see if they knew them.
Does God hate Haiti?
The answer is “Of course not,” but man oh man it can sure look that way. Here are three brief answers to the problem of suffering. As the Register has pointed out during disasters past, none is adequate, but together they point to hope.
First: This world is not all there is.
The massive destruction of a hurricane or earthquake can look random and meaningless. Worse, it can look like a cosmic slap aimed at the very people who least deserve to be slapped.
If this world is all there is, then the Haiti earthquake is worse than a tragedy — it’s a metaphysical atrocity. Only if this world is not all that there is does this start to make sense.
Of course, cultures throughout history have all come to the conclusion that this world is not all there is. But the Catholic faith uniquely understands the place of suffering in the human experience — and the divine experience.
When God asks us to suffer, he isn’t asking us to do something he won’t do himself.
Each of our churches has a crucifix in the center — depicting the corpse of our founder — and stations of the cross along the side, depicting the stages of his destruction. The church’s beginning is graphically summed up in iconography by the image of his blood being collected in a chalice. The church’s first centuries were marked by the routine torture and death of its members, from lay to hierarchy. So was the last, from Nazi Germany to Communist Eastern Europe, throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and even in Latin America.
How is this not macabre? Because all of these images of death have been transformed by the resurrection into powerful symbols of eternal life.
Suffering isn’t a startling break from the status quo of the Church and the world. Suffering is the status quo of the Church and the world. The suffering aren’t the furthest from God. They’re the closest to him.
Said Pope Benedict XVI, “Christ took the lowest place in the world — the Cross — and by this radical humility he redeemed us and constantly comes to our aid.”
Second: God brings good out of suffering even for the living.
That first principle can lead to a mistake that makes the real world the next world, not this one. It can also seem to make the earth a torture gauntlet God runs us through.
But entry into heaven isn’t automatic — and life in this world has infinite value all on its own.
“If God the Father almighty, the Creator of the ordered and good world, cares for all his creatures, why does evil exist?” asks the Catechism. “[N]o quick answer will suffice. Only Christian faith as a whole constitutes the answer to this question.”
By Christian faith as a whole, the Catechism says it means:
“the goodness of creation, the drama of sin and the patient love of God who comes to meet man by his covenants, the redemptive Incarnation of his Son, his gift of the Spirit, his gathering of the Church, the power of the sacraments and his call to a blessed life to which free creatures are invited to consent in advance, but from which, by a terrible mystery, they can also turn away in advance. There is not a single aspect of the Christian message that is not in part an answer to the question of evil. “
In short, suffering is a major player the story of sin and redemption, of our habitual turning away from God and his attempts to win us back.
Human beings are proud, prone to think of themselves as gods, prone to lose perspective on the purpose of their lives, prone to think that God needs us more than we need him, prone to see ourselves as the authors of the story of the world, and prone to ignore the needs of those around us.
Suffering destroys each of those idols.
Says St. Agusutine: God “would never allow any evil whatsoever to exist in his works if he were not so all-powerful and good as to cause good to emerge from evil itself.”
One important good that emerges …
Third: Christians are called to help the suffering.
“The true measure of humanity is essentially determined in relationship to suffering and to the sufferer.”
That’s how Pope Benedict XVI put it in his 2007 encyclical Spe Salvi (In Hope We Are Saved).
This was also the message of the important second section of Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love).
“There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of concrete love of neighbor is indispensable,” he wrote. Christians uniquely offer “the very thing which the suffering person—every person—needs: namely, loving personal concern.”
The suffering discover what love is when we serve them. And so do we.
St. Jerome, the scholar famous for translating the Bible and addressing important doctrinal issues, put his books aside in 404 when refugees flooded his region.
“I cannot help them all, but I grieve and weep with them, and am completely absorbed in the duties that charity imposes on me,” he wrote. “Today we must translate the precepts of the Scriptures into deeds. Instead of speaking saintly words, we must act them.”
Suffering finds its final meaning here. It is the occasion for love.
Ways to help Haiti:
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I’d like to run every single person who believes in God into the sea - I’d be doing the world a great favor.
Thanks, Vick. That’s actually very helpful. Atheists like to promote the myth that religion leads to violence.
The 20th century should forever put the end to that argument for honest people ... your thoughts were mirrored exactly by dictators who actually tried to eliminate religion in much the way you suggest.
Here are other atheism myths:
http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/7279
Thanks, Tom, for this. You pull the pieces together very well, to clarify what we all know (or need to remember) about our faith, about God and about love. I hope you won’t mind if I inadvertently quote you in discussions on the subject of Haiti, which I am sure will take place in the coming weeks.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
Epicurus
Children say “Is Dad unwilling or unable to stop the stove from burning my hand?”
Dads know better.
None of us, alas, knows God’s perspective
Then how many people would be left to help the victims in Haiti right now?
Thanks Tom, for trying to make sense of a terrible tragedy. Faith can offer succor to those in dire need of help. Now would be a good time, for people around the world to put their religious affiliations aside and aid Haiti. I’m not convinced that such hardships are inflicted on people as part of a divine plan to ultimately bring out the best traits in mankind. But it is nevertheless, a well-written plea to hold on to faith especially in the most testing of times.
The theological illusion of God/Love active in the world is slowly coming unstuck and tragedies, whether holocaust, tsunami or an earthquake like that which has all but destroyed Haiti are only the beginning. God hasn’t even started yet! http://www.energon.org.uk
Missing from this discussion is our accountability. God does not hate Haiti, we do. We blame God for many things, but we forget that much of this is avoidable. We’ve known a major quake would hit there for a long time, just like we know one will hit San Franciso and other places. But what was done? Where were the rich to them move to a safer place or build proper facilities? The rich can move, prepare properly for such events. The poor need help to move and be safer. We possess many ways to avoid the scope of many natural disasters but refuse to acknowledge this. It’s often about the neglect of our intellegence, poor priorities and injustice to the poor.
Hello Tom,
Thank you very much for a beautiful, pure, letter of Truths on Haiti, suffering, God, and the Church.
I would like (with your permission) to quote your letter?
Truly,
Catherine Nagle
Thank you Deacon Miller for your words of truth. God bless us all and may the peace of The Christ be with you. Now lets roll up our sleeves and be about our Fathers business of taking care of one another.
I found Vick Kiene’s comment offensive; however, also insightful, as it appears to me that Vick actually believes in God - otherwise, Vick would have better things to do than read the National Catholic Register. God bless you, Vick Kiene!
I haven’t figured out how to respond to you in person ... but feel free to quote from this, I suppose. I also hereby grant permission to inadvertantly quote from it, for Cydney.
I inadvertantly quote myself all the time.
Dear Deacon Steve Miller,
We do not hate Haiti. The US Federal gov. just last year sent Haiti One BILLION dollars in aid. But where has that money gone? And what can we do when the Haitian government is corrupt and the people do not receive the aid that is sent? True justice lies in man helping man, not big government helping man. It is my understanding that Catholic Charities and many other Christian missionaries have a presence in Haiti, but have the overwhelming task of providing for the poor while the gov. of Haiti oppresses its people through a corrupt political process which keeps them in destitution. I am saddened that so may in authority such as yourself preach this perverted brand of “social justice”. We do not hate Haiti. We are the most generous country in the world in all of history and we will show once again through charity that we love, not hate. I will pray for you Deacon.
Dearest Loren,
Point well taken. But when I replied with “we” I meant “humanity”. So my apology if misunderstood. Indeed, some are doing their part including the Church. But the question posed had to do with God hating Haiti and the article failed to consider the human dimension in causing the tragedy. Your reply makes my point. Human corruption and neglect by many is the cause ... not God. The fact that some are doing their part is crucial. Also, humans need to “get out of the way”. It has been well known that a large earthquake of this magnitude would hit the area. God gives us reason and ordinary means to care for ourselves. So, if corrupt government and human ignorance get out of the way… the scope of this tragedy would be much less. Hence, God is not the blame, we (humanity) bears a heavy burden.
peace and God bless, ds
Thank you for putting our Faith into words
All I keep thinking and at first felt bad, is that He has rescued these
people, His children who were so poor and suffering. They may now be with Him, a better world, rich with life that we can’t imagine here.
Then I think of the leveled cities due to war and nature all through history. The Survivors rebuilt.
Our Nations are coming together to help them, which would never have happened to such a great capacity and urgency.
We are seeing, learning and living great lessons.
I pray that the 80% + Catholics and all the other Christians surviving
will continue to look to Our Lord for comfort, wisdom and love.
Tom: Please coment on the statement of Pat Robertson.
According to a Christian Broadcasting Network press release,
“Dr Robertson also spoke about Haiti’s history. His comments were based on the widely discussed 1791 slave rebellion led by Boukman Duffy at Bois Caiman, where the slaves allegedly made a famous pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. This history, combined with the horrible state of the country, has led countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries to believe the country is cursed…..”
Tom:
Please coment on Pat Robertson’s statement that Haiti may be cursed.
The Christian Broadcasting Network has issued this statement:
“...Dr Robertson also spoke about Haiti’s history. His comments were based on the widely-discussed 1791 slave rebellion led by Boukman Duffy at Bois Caiman, where the slaves allegedly made a famous pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. This history, combined with the horrible state of the country, has led countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries to believe the country is cursed…”
Your comment? Thanks.
Tom:
The Catholic Church believes in curses which can be passed down through the family tree from generation to generation. Healing typically requires special rites/prayers.
The leader of the Haitian rebellion, Boukman Dutty or Dutty Boukman, is described as a high ranking voodoo priest.
I would be interested in your comment as to what spiritually may need to happen in Haiti. Many thanks.
Regarding Haiti being cursed, Jesus had the best answer, in Luke 13:
“At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them 3—do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!’”
In other words, yeah. They were cursed. Us too, no less.
As the Catechism put it, after the Fall, “Harmony with creation is broken: Visible creation has become alien and hostile to man.”
It’s as if the whole world is imitating our rebellion ... and putting us in our place ... driving us to seek order and justice and peace, even when it’s against our own wishes.
Dear Deacon,
Thank you for your clarification which I think is an important one. I was frustrated by the “injustice to the poor comment” as originally stated. I assumed a redistribution of wealth as a solution was your intent. Glad to know that was not, as we all know the US and the UN (funded primarily by the US)have been redistributing billions over the years to Haiti and the situation has grown more dire. I think your most recent point elevates freedom and democratic rights over the Oligarchy that exists in Haiti currently. And taken in this context, yes we humans have a burden but unfortunately only Haitians will be able to remove this burden for themselves.
God bless.
Ok this was something to really think about they then got hit a second time i really think was this suppose to happened or what they are going through so much~
They are going through so much losing there children they don’t have food or water wow this is sda really sad and I can’t get over this one for real this is heart breaking and I think people should keep there negative thoughts to there self before god put something on them:
Poor Haiti ..pray much for the people. Voodoo was rife there.Most of the people are catholics with voodo intermingled.
The Haitian earthquake was caused by the Australian-Indian and Pacific plates sliding against each other. Not your god, not sin, not any precursor for redemption or created opportunity for piety, just plate tectonics. Making up reasons for why it happened because you don’t like there being no reason is pointless. Trying to doctrinally justify the suffering of others is disgusting. Your god makes people suffer so that Christians can bring themselves closer to it by alleviating said suffering, and assume superior knowledge about why the suffering happened? You people are reprehensible. Words cannot describe my abhorrence of you and all you believe.
To The Talented Chimp,
I found your comments total in appropriate given what has happened here - who do you think my friend controls these plates you speak of - more to the point- who do you think controls the world - do you think this is just random or a coincidence?
You should read about Divine Order in the Universe or nature - better yet- go and talk to any Dr. about the miracle of the human body - there you will find your answer.
Your name however is perfect - many leading exorcists I know and have known have described Satan as - The Monkey- coincidence in your world ? I doubt it.
Have a nice day
To the Talented Chimp ...
What I don’t get is your abhorrence. If there is no God, only tectonic plates moving land masses and chemical synapses creating my thoughts, why get ticked about what I have to say? It was as inevitable as the glow of the moon.
Why rage against the random?
Let us pray to the Being who sent the earthquake to alleviate our suffering from his earthquake. Amen.
God’s will is involved in the world in two different ways. There are things he directly wills ... and things he permits.
When I drop a pencil, God doesn’t “will” it to the ground by direct commmand, but by the laws of the universe he set ... nor when a branch falls on my head does he will it to crack my skull. But he allows both.
Think of this: A natural disaster is just a dramatic, many-deaths-in-one-place version of what happens every day. God allows deaths here, there and everywhere and every way each day.
It’s death that everybody hates, not just death by earthquake but death by falling branch, death by drowning, death by murder, death by hunger, death by cancer ... death by torture, death by execution, death by the cross.
God chose to accept death for himself, entered it, and transformed it into a path to eternal life.
So let us pray to the God who allows death, and chose death, to alleviate death. Amen!
“Posted by Tom Hoopes on Saturday, Jan 23, 2010 8:42 PM (EST):God’s will is involved in the world in two different ways. There are things he directly wills ... and things he permits.”
One might ask how someone would ‘know’ what an invisible intangible god wills to happen or not, but if one accepts that ‘he permits’ natural occurences, it is indistinguishable from his having no affect on the natural world and similarly indistinguishable from his being non-existent.
It is a very unfortunate natural disaster for the nation of Haiti with its widespread poverty as a nation; but in the judgement of the Living God, Jesus Christ, the practice of voodoo is unacceptable. The Divine reason(s) why Haiti has been devastated by a major earthquake are known to God and not likely to mankind. It is now Christianity’s responsibility to act with Christian charity and help the quake survivors in need of assistance. Earthquakes occur worldwide and not just in Haiti and are a major sign to indicate that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is near. How near? Mankind does not know exactly but has the duty of watching for the signs indicating the return of the Lord God Jesus Christ.
Regarding God hitting Haiti over voodoo, I’d repeat Jesus’ words from Luke 13:
“At that time some people who were present there told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!
“Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them — do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!’”
Now, sin is sometimes correlated to death in the New Testament, but the most prominent examples are probably Ananias and Saphira, whose sins were more American than Haitian.
We need to be careful not to be more Catholic than the Pope ... but also not to be more “Christian” than Christ.
Beneath the Rubble – Deuteronomy 33:27
January 19, 2010 by Shelby
Where’s my Hope…beneath the rubble?
Where do I find Strength in this complete destruction?
How can Courage exist when death surrounds me?
How can I see God, in the faces of despair?
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms”
In the fallen buildings, I am in the dust
In the eyes of orphans, I am the innocent reflection
In the fresh laid tombs, I am still eternal Life
In the souls of the lost, I am the Grace to press on
“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms”
I am the hands that dig and rescue
I am the head that’s bowed in prayer
I am the cries of those who suffer
I am the doctor giving desperate care
Look into the darkness, I am still redeeming Light
In the harrowing brokenness, I am still the Great Physician
For my lost and lonely children, I am still the air they breathe
I remain your everlasting arms of Love… beneath the rubble
Religion - in particular fundamentalist religion - makes you stupid. The US is the only rich country in which Christian fundamentalism is vast and growing.
The comments posted say it all.
Deep down - you know it’s true.
Vick, no hard feelings. We know you don’t mean it.
You’re a guy who desperately wants to be an atheist but can’t ... stop ... reading a random religious site and its comments section.
Even then, the only answer you can come up with is, “You’re stupid!”
We’ve all been there. Soon the rationalizations will crumble. Remember: There’s no shame in belief ... just ask Anthony Flew:
http://www.existence-of-god.com/flew-abandons-atheism.html
Tom Hoopes
I mean every word of it. I speak the truth - know what I mean.
As all things come together through history we try to continue to understand the continuum of this woven human tapestry created by God to help us learn that all things come together for the good .
Those who pay the highest suffering are those closest to God . By losing faith in God you lose faith in all that God has created therefor those suffering in order to bring us together are for nothing .
By keeping your dreams your keeping your faith
Don’t give up your dreams
Mickey Carroll
http://www.mickeycarroll.com
I am interested to know more of the so called 1791 “pact with the devil” made by the Haitian people to rid themselves of French domination.
Brent: You can Google “Bookman Duffy Bois Caiman Aristide witchcraft” and probably come across a number of articles. President Aristide ..former priest and former president .. actually flew in hundreds of witch doctors from Africa for his inauguaration, also took over all Haiti’s radio stations one day to play voodoo music. Evidently, the people who practice voodoo believe you first have to become “Catholic”!
Haiti, obviously, is in the midst of a spiritual disaster which has been going on many years.
In Christ, Michael
Brent: I meant that should should Google “BOUKMAN Duffy,voodoo, Aristide”, etc.
In Christ, Michael
Dear Michael,
I am a practising Catholic and have never believed that curses are passed on from generation to generation personally, and would be very surprised if the orthodox reading of my religion supports this view.
Nevertheless, it is fascinating, yet very sad to see that the nation of Haiti has suffered such a plethora of calamities since the so called “pact with the devil” in 1791.
Sincere thanks for your help in researching this theory.
Sincerely in Christ,
Brent Egan
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