Why God Isn’t a Bad Word: A Love Note Reflection

When life brings pain and suffering, can we discover innocence beneath it all? In this episode, Rhonda reads Saint Catherine’s poem "No One Will Begrudge Me" and shares a tender reflection on free will, the journey through sorrow, and how choosing to see innocence in ourselves and others sets us free.

Today, I want to share a poem that’s been close to my heart: "No One Will Begrudge Me" by Saint Catherine, a woman who believed deeply in the inherent value of every soul. We explore her questioning of suffering, her honest wrestling with why pain exists if the Divine is so near, and the powerful answer she received: that free will is a gift, and learning comes from the paths we choose.

As I read her words and invite you as I did for myself to use whatever name resonates for Spirit or Universe or God, we sit together in the wonder and ache of being human. What would it be like to practice seeing only innocence today? What changes when we trust ourselves, embrace our power, and allow ourselves and others to be unconditionally worthy?

If you’re ready to lay down self-blame and pick up compassion, this poem and reflection are here for you.

What You’ll Discover

• How to transform the “why” of suffering into compassion for yourself and others
• Why free will is at the heart of all growth and what it really means for your power
• The difference between seeing life through the “wheel of fear” and the “wheel of freedom”
• That pain and innocence can exist side by side, and ultimately, nothing that causes you pain is forever
• Practices to shift from judgment to curiosity and embrace radical self-trust today

Key Takeaway

You have the power to choose from your freedom, not your fear and when you see with innocence, nothing that ever caused pain holds you back.

Key Quote

"In the end, nothing that ever caused one pain will exist. No one will begrudge me."

— Saint Catherine, as read by Rhonda

AND

"You have so much power because you have something called free will."

— Rhonda

Resources

• Journal Prompts:
• What suffering or sorrow am I ready to see through the lens of innocence?
• When do I trust my voice within, and when do I let fear lead?
• More poetry, tools, and daily encouragement at https://fearlessliving.org

Invitation

What if you practiced seeing only innocence today in yourself and those around you? Notice when fear creeps in, and gently return to trust. Write your reflections in your journal, and if today’s episode resonated, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Reply and share your story when have you questioned suffering or found peace in letting go, and what shifted for you? What does innocence mean in your life? Subscribe and leave a quick rating to support the show.

Episode Transcript

(00:14):
Welcome to Love Notes from Rhonda.
And today I want to read apoem from a saint, Saint Catherine,
who was alive 1347-1380.
And they say that she wasprofoundly interested in every human
being that ever came before her.

(00:35):
So I am going to readsomething that she wrote.
And she loved God.
So replace the word God withspirit or universe or whatever word
resonates with you.
I know now I love the wordGod, but for 20 years I couldn't
stand the word God.
I would change it to universe,light, energy, something, anything

(00:55):
but God.
So you choose the word thatworks for you.
I'm going to read it as sheintended, using the word God.
The poem's called no One WillBegrudge Me.
I talk about it sometimes with him.
All the suffering in the world.
Dear God, I have prayed, howis it possible?
All the horrors I have seen,all the atrocities you allow man

(01:19):
to commit.
When you, God, are everstanding so near and could help us,
could we not hear your voicesay no?
With such love and power,never again would we harm.
And my Lord replied, who wouldunderstand if I said that I cannot
bear to confine a wing and notlet it learn from the course it chooses?
But what of the man walkinglost in the forest, weeping and calling

(01:40):
your name for help?
And unknown to him, he isheading for a covered pit with sharp
spears in it that will maimhis flesh when he crashes through
the trap.
Yes, why don't I remove everyobject from this world that could
cause someone to weep?
Yes, why don't I speak in away that could save a life?
I opened up my hand and theinfinite ran to the edges of space.

(02:02):
And all possibilities arecontained therein.
All possibilities, even sorrow.
In the end, nothing that evercaused one pain will exist.
No one will begrudge me theabsolute innocence of all within
my creation.
Takes a while to understand.

(02:22):
I talk about it sometimes with him.
All the suffering in the world.
Dear God, I have prayed, howis it possible?
All the horrors I have seen,all the atrocities you allow man
to commit.
When you, God, are everstanding so near and could help us,
could we not hear your voicesaying no?
With such love and power,never again would we harm?
And my Lord replied, who wouldunderstand if I said that I cannot

(02:46):
bear to confine a wing and notlet it learn from the course it chooses?
But what of a man walking lostin a forest, weeping and calling
your name for help?
And unknown to him, he isheading for a covered pit with sharp
spears in it that will maimhis flesh when he crashes through
the trap.
Yes, why don't I remove everyobject from this world that could

(03:08):
cause someone to weep?
Yes, why don't I speak in away that could save a life?
I opened up my hand and theinfinite ran to the edges of space.
And all possibilities arecontained therein.
All possibilities.
Even sorrow.
In the end, nothing that evercaused one pain will exist.

(03:28):
No one will begrudge me theabsolute innocence of all within
my creation.
Takes a while to understand.
So you have so much power.
So much power.
Because you have somethingcalled free will.
Free will.

(03:50):
And now, do I believe that theuniverse, God, spirit, whatever you
want to name it is here tosupport you?
Absolutely.
But you, my friend, get tochoose how powerful you are.
So let's practice trusting ourselves.
Listening to the voice withinthat comes from our wheel of freedom

(04:10):
rather than our wheel of fear.
And what if today all you seeis innocence?
Until next time, be fearless.
I love you.