If God is all-powerful and good, why does he allow suffering and evil?
The presence of suffering and evil is one of the deepest questions of human existence. The Church teaches firmly that God did not create evil, nor does he ever desire the suffering of his creatures.
Much evil in the world results from the abuse of free will. God chose to create human beings with real freedom so that we could truly love him and each other. Tragically, when freedom is turned away from goodness, sin and injustice follow. Physical evils, such as disease and natural disasters, belong to a universe that is still in progress towards its final perfection.
God permits evil only because he respects human freedom and because his wisdom can draw greater good out of it. The ultimate Christian answer to suffering is not an abstract theory, but the Cross of Jesus Christ. On the Cross, God entered our suffering personally and conquered death from within.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 309
- Romans 8:28
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.