The Rev Luke Smith

Everyone here knows my views on religion so it must come as a total shock that I am actually praising a vicar. Last Monday I had the misfortune to attend my second funeral since September, this time was for Gary, My sister in laws former boyfriend and the dad of her two children. Anyway, the same vicar was taking the service as did the last one, my dads. This vicar is an absolutely marvellous man and does the service in such a way that takes all the grief out of it and he has a very calming manner.
But the main reason I am writing this is because of one sentence that he said. Quite often I have heard it said, if there is a god why does he let people suffer so much (Gary died of cancer and really suffered) and I have heard all the answers by religious people of god works in mysterious ways, and it is all part of his plan etc etc, But to me this is just obviously people trying to guess or to justify their belief in "god".
But no The Rev Smith said "People often ask me how can god do this, how can he let people suffer". And the next thing he said was brilliant, it was so simple and was the first time I have heard a vicar answer it with such clarity. He simply said...."I answer them by saying, I don't know, I have no answer". He was honest and didn't try to "fob us off" with a well worn guess at why.
now if there were more vicars like him there might be more people in the congregation.
I said to him outside the chapel, this is the second funeral you have done the service for that I have attended in the last few months, please don't take it the wrong way but i hope its a bloody long time before I see you again. He remembered my dads funeral......ah yes he said, the miserable old so and so, I remember......................That's my kind of vicar.