‘Why Would a Benevolent God Let Her Suffer?'
A nun prays with a rosary at the Vatican, April 22.
Photo: tiziana fabi/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Karl Rove 's op-ed 'A Daughter Dies Too Young' (May 1) is a beautiful tribute to Elizabeth Sterling Oles O'Hara . It's clear she touched many lives with grace and resilience in such a short amount of time. When I was about her age, I remember questioning the power and reason for prayer. I found Rabbi Harold Kushner 's 'When Bad Things Happen to Good People,' which tells of his journey to process his young son's death. What has stayed with me in the decades since reading it has seen me through many of life's trials. The book reminded me that God's gift of free will means that praying to him has the purpose of giving us the strength to endure.
My pastor recently spoke about a simple yet breathtaking passage in St. Luke's Gospel: 'Jesus wept.' The Lord is moved by our infirmities. Our grief is unique, as varied as the stars, reflecting our personal journey and faith. Knowing that the Lord wept for Sterling, and for all of our losses of love, helps me understand I'm never alone. And neither are you, Mr. Rove.
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