Pain-knuckle-tattoo_stevendepolo_Flickr-300x200When pain overwhelms us, we feel compelled to ask, “Why did this happen to me?”  “Did I do something wrong?”  “Is this experience a curse from God?”  Religion is an important aspect of life for many people and often not discussed in the health care setting. Yet, people often rely on their faith when faced with difficult medical situations, like pain. There are, however people who have studied scriptures and dedicated their lives to helping us gain spiritual enlightenment while providing guidance along the journey.  Two such individuals, Rabbi Mark Strauss-Cohn of Temple Emanuel in North Carolina, and Father Paul Holland, rector of the Jesuit Community at Fairfield University help clarify the question, “Is Pain a Curse from God?”