Suffering

"Ya know, there are many times when our faith in God may waver. Just don't be afraid to ask. I remember there was this one youngster who really got worried about the way God works. He didn't understand why God lets us suffer, if He really loves us. So of course this kid, he just went and asked the parish priest.

Now the priest, he gets really pissed off at the kid, questioning the ways of God the way he did. So the priest punished the poor guy. Made him sit in a corner for hours straight. Priest walks up later to him askin’, ‘So, you want to know why God lets us suffer?’ The kid says yes, so the father walks away.

‘Course, sittin’ in a corner ain’t much of a punishment. At least, not until the nature calls. But the priest wouldn’t give the kid any relief. Asks him again if he still wants an answer. Kid nods, and the priest walks away. So here’s the boy in a corner, sittin’ inna tight ball, tryin’ ta keep his piss in. Real good laugh now that I think of it. Still the Father wouldn’t let the kid leak. Finally it seemed liked the guy would burst, ‘cause he couldn’t hold it in no more. Kid’s practically in tears now, holdin’ it in.

So the priest goes to him, ‘All right, you may go to the washroom.’ Kid runs off, relievin’ himself. He’s really thankful, and says to himself that he’ll never try that again. But the story’s not over yet. Kid walks out of the bathroom, and the priest is standin’ there, waitin’. Kid’s just about to apologize, when the priest starts talkin’.

‘Do you know why I made you sit in that corner?' Kid shakes his head. 'I didn’t do it to punish you, but to make you understand. You see, if God didn’t let us suffer, then there would be no point in having a Heaven.’ Priest smiles. ‘Just now, when you really needed to go to the washroom, that was a sample of the suffering that people go through in life. That relief when you went to the washroom, that is the same feeling people have when they realize they are going to Heaven. The suffering allows us to appreciate God’s place more.’

So the kid’s listening to this, and even though he’s not sure, he’s got a little understandin’. But at least now the kid’s not afraid to ask questions anymore. ‘Cause he knows that he’s already gone through the worst."