Why do bad things happen to good people?

This is a question we often ask ourselves and others. And when we do, we immediately start searching for reasons—something to make sense of the suffering. More often than not, these reasons serve as a form of consolation: if there is an explanation, and if I am not like them, then perhaps it won’t happen to me.

In this week’s Gospel, Luke 13:1-9, Jesus presents us with a difficult reality: suffering and tragedy are part of life, even for the good and faithful. The people in Jesus’ time struggled with this question just as we do today. Some came to Him asking about the Galileans who had been killed by Pilate and those who perished when the tower of Siloam collapsed. Were these people worse sinners than others?

Jesus’ response is striking. He does not offer explanations or theological justifications. Instead, he redirects the question: ‘Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’

In other words, the question is not why bad things happen, but rather, what do they call us to do? Tragedy, suffering, and loss are reminders of life’s fragility and the urgency of turning back to God. Jesus is not saying that suffering is a punishment, but rather that every moment—good or bad—is an opportunity for repentance and renewal.

He follows this with the parable of the barren fig tree. The owner wants to cut it down because it has not borne fruit, but the gardener pleads for one more year—one more chance to cultivate it, to nourish it, to help it flourish. This is God’s mercy at work. He does not desire our destruction but our transformation.

When we see suffering in the world, instead of seeking to explain it, we are invited to ask: Am I bearing fruit? Am I living a life reconciled with God? Tragedy should not lead us to despair, but to conversion—to live each day as if it were our last opportunity to love, to forgive, and to grow in holiness.

But repentance is not just about personal transformation; it also calls us to action. Even in small ways, we are called to seek justice, to ease suffering, and to be instruments of God’s mercy. A kind word, a helping hand, a stand for truth—these may seem like little things, but in God’s hands, they bear great fruit. And when we feel powerless, we can still pray, for as Tennyson wrote, ‘More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.’

Let us not waste the time we have been given. Today is the day to repent, to seek reconciliation, to do what good we can, and to entrust the rest to God. Our fig tree still stands—what will we do with our extra time?

---

Friend, these days I am busy discerning the possibility of a grand pilgrimage to coincide with the Jubilee Year and the theme - Pilgrims of Hope. My dream is to journey with Sandee to Rome creating media capsules - newsletter, podcast and video posts, at stops along the way, to be shared with our subscribers. Please pray for us for proper discernment and financing.

To this end I have adapted the Life Transitions Membership program to one of Pilgrims of Hope. You can become a member at the following link - Pilgrims of Hope LINK