Does God Punish Us?

In this homily, Bishop Robert Barron addresses the controversial topic of divine punishment, drawing from the Letter to the Hebrews. He argues that while God is love, love sometimes requires harshness to correct those who are off course. Using examples from both the Old and New Testaments, he illustrates how punishment is a recurring motif in the Bible, not as an act of a capricious tyrant, but as a form of discipline from a loving father. He explains that God's discipline, like a parent's, aims to teach and guide individuals back to the right path, restricting freedom when necessary for correction, and ultimately leading to peace and justice.