How Job 13:15 Encourages Us on Our Darkest Days. Each of us can say: Surrounded, led and guided by the friends of God I do not have to carry alone what, in truth, I could never carry alone. 20. The little detail of having spare oil for the lamps, should the bridegroom delay. We can cooperate to make that possible, even if we may not always see the fruit of our efforts. 4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, ubut bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. We should not grow discouraged before examples of holiness that appear unattainable. [110] ID., Counsels to a Religious on How to Attain Perfection, 9. Only within this radius and dimension of the Church as the Body of Christ, which continually develops in space and time, can one think and speak of "what is lacking" in the sufferings of Christ. This is the grateful memory that Saint Ignatius of Loyola refers to in his Contemplation for Attaining Love,[116] when he asks us to be mindful of all the blessings we have received from the Lord. [22] Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us.[23]. (13) His Psaltes (Ps. 149. De natura et gratia, 43, 50: PL 44, 271. Proof of this has been given, down through the generations, by the martyrs and confessors of Christ, faithful to the words: "And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul . Draw very close to each and every one so that in Your strength they may persevere in these troublesome times, and in so doing bring glory to Yourself and serve as a faithful witness to those that are lost in their sins, of Your grace and goodness. Already in the Old Testament we note an orientation that begins to go beyond the concept according to which suffering has a meaning only as a punishment for sin, insofar as it emphasizes at the same time the educational value of suffering as a punishment. You cannot grow in holiness without committing yourself, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavour. Perseverance is a force, ability and power that we need in every arena of life, in order to succeed. This does not mean ignoring the need for moments of quiet, solitude and silence before God. He particularly suffers when he a ought"in the normal order of thingsto have a share in this good and does not have it. Still, some Christians insist on taking another path, that of justification by their own efforts, the worship of the human will and their own abilities. Therefore, even if death is not a form of suffering in the temporal sense of the word, even if in a certain way it is beyond all forms of suffering, at the same time the evil which the human being experiences in death has a definitive and total character. The Book of Job is not the last word on this subject in Revelation. 155. Ps. 23and rto be renewed in the spirit of your minds, Father, grant me gospel joy; help me to rejoice in Christ even as I grieve. Phil 2:3). How will you then be able to set the hearts of others on fire by your words and witness? According to the words spoken to Nicodemus, God gives his Son to "the world" to free man from evil, which bears within itself the definitive and absolute perspective on suffering. Password requirements: 6 to 30 characters long; ASCII characters only (characters found on a standard US keyboard); must contain at least 4 different symbols; Its purpose is also to strengthen goodness both in man himself and in his relationships with others and especially with God. The saints are distinguished by a spirit of prayer and a need for communion with God. He poisons us with the venom of hatred, desolation, envy and vice. We can get so caught up in ourselves that we are unable to recognize Gods gifts.[101]. Saint Teresa of Calcutta clearly realized this: Yes, I have many human faults and failures But God bends down and uses us, you and me, to be his love and his compassion in the world; he bears our sins, our troubles and our faults. Diary. The memory of Gods works is central to the experience of the covenant between God and his people. At any rate, Christ drew close above all to the world of human suffering through the fact of having taken this suffering upon his very self. In the Second Letter to Timothy we read: "And therefore I suffer as I do. 6. This chapter is written by all those who suffer together with Christ, uniting their human sufferings to his salvific suffering. [14] Cf. The parable in itself expresses a deeply Christian truth, but one that at the same time is very universally human. 119. 101. [8] In the moving ecumenical commemoration held in the Colosseum during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, he stated that the martyrs are a heritage which speaks more powerfully than all the causes of division. We often hear it said that, with respect to relativism and the flaws of our present world, the situation of migrants, for example, is a lesser issue. 7But cgrace was given dto each one of us eaccording to the measure of Christs gift. Therefore, the conscious and free violation of this good by man is not only a transgression of the law but at the same time an offence against the Creator, who is the first Lawgiver. This is a difficult question, just as is a question closely akin to it, the question of evil. [109] In the end, our desire for God will surely find expression in our daily lives: Try to be continuous in prayer, and in the midst of bodily exercises do not leave it. Paul speaks of meekness as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. The Father, who sees in secret (Mt 6:6), recognizes what is impure and insincere, mere display or appearance, as does the Son, who knows what is in man (cf. For mercy is not only an action of the Father; it becomes a criterion for ascertaining who his true children are. Jas 3:6). As a remedy against perplexing care, constant prayer is recommended. [102] Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (19 March 2016), 110: AAS 108 (2016), 354. Thus, in the Christian view, the reality of suffering is explained through evil, which always, in some way, refers to a good. Mt 22:36-40), genuinely and not merely in words, is a pure heart; it can see God. [6], 9. He asks the meaning of his suffering and seeks an answer to this question on the human level. Later still, she goes out onto the street, encounters a poor person and stops to say a kind word to him. This is all the more important when some novelty presents itself in our lives. of But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed"(73). 53, 3). PRAYER. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you (6:36-38). The Gospel then tends to be reduced and constricted, deprived of its simplicity, allure and savour. 9Masters, do the same to them, band stop your threatening, knowing that che who is both their Master3 and yours is in heaven, and that dthere is no partiality with him. 70. The theme of suffering - precisely under the aspect of this salvific meaning - seems to fit profoundly into the context of the Holy Year of the Redemption as an extraordinary Jubilee of the Church. Thank You for the lessons You have taught us through the unparalleled witness of Your servant Job, the severe and sustained trials and tribulations that he endured and the glorious outcome at the end of his journey, when he was able to cry out in humility of heart, I have heard of You with my ears but now I have seen You with my eyes with my spiritual eyes of understanding. During his public activity, he experienced not only fatigue, homelessness, misunderstanding even on the part of those closest to him, but, more than anything, he became progressively more and more isolated and encircled by hostility and the preparations for putting him to death. [59] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. Article Images Copyright 2022 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 78. [32], 35. As the sainted Cura Brochero observed: What good is it when Lucifer promises you freedom and showers you with all his benefits, if those benefits are false, deceptive and poisonous?[122], 163. And even though the victory over sin and death achieved by Christ in his Cross and Resurrection does not abolish temporal suffering from human life, nor free from suffering the whole historical dimension of human existence, it nevertheless throws a new light upon this dimension and upon every suffering: the light of salvation. Inner strength, as the work of grace, prevents us from becoming carried away by the violence that is so much a part of life today, because grace defuses vanity and makes possible meekness of heart. The Lord has bestowed on the Church the gifts of scripture, the sacraments, holy places, living communities, the witness of the saints and a multifaceted beauty that proceeds from Gods love, like a bride bedecked with jewels (Is 61:10). To that end, bkeep alert with all perseverance, making csupplication for all the saints, We are called to be contemplatives even in the midst of action, and to grow in holiness by responsibly and generously carrying out our proper mission. All of us, but especially the young, are immersed in a culture of zapping. God does not pour down fire upon those who are unfaithful (cf. In this way, every minute of our lives can be a step along the path to growth in holiness. 95. We are not allowed to "pass by on the other side" indifferently; we must "stop" beside him. In this way, we miss out on the greatest treasure of all. They are now with the right parent the kids. The person feels condemned to receive help and assistance from others, and at the same time seems useless to himself. [74] At times, it may be necessary to speak of the difficulties of a particular brother or sister. In the vocabulary of the Old Testament, suffering and evil are identified with each other. This entails a readiness to make sacrifices, even to sacrificing everything. The processes of beatification and canonization recognize the signs of heroic virtue, the sacrifice of ones life in martyrdom, and certain cases where a life is constantly offered for others, even until death. Discernment also enables us to recognize the concrete means that the Lord provides in his mysterious and loving plan, to make us move beyond mere good intentions. 19); Ieremias (cfr. In it we must also pose anew the question about the meaning of suffering, and read in it, to its very depths, the answer to this question. The signs I wish to highlight are not the sum total of a model of holiness, but they are five great expressions of love for God and neighbour that I consider of particular importance in the light of certain dangers and limitations present in todays culture. [25] Every saint is a message which the Holy Spirit takes from the riches of Jesus Christ and gives to his people. God answered the prayer. In these people there is fulfilled what the first witnesses of the Passion and Resurrection said and wrote about sharing in the sufferings of Christ. Mt 11:25). 113. [12] Spiritual Canticle, Red. 67. 25I have thought it necessary to send to you dEpaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and efellow soldier, and your messenger and fminister to my need, 29. Cancel any time. Otherwise, any decisions we make may only be window-dressing that, rather than exalting the Gospel in our lives, will mask or submerge it. Saint Thrse of Lisieux tells us that perfect charity consists in putting up with others mistakes, and not being scandalized by their faults.[69]. The Book of Job poses in an extremely acute way the question of the "why" of suffering; it also shows that suffering strikes the innocent, but it does not yet give the solution to the problem. In fact one cannot deny that moral sufferings have a "physical" or somatic element, and that they are often reflected in the state of the entire organism. 21iSo that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, jTychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. He does not want to enter our lives to cripple or diminish them, but to bring them to fulfilment. So this circumstance showsperhaps more than any otherthe importance of the question of the meaning of suffering; it also shows how much care must be taken both in dealing with the question itself and with all possible answers to it. This means, be alert! 19. In itself human suffering constitutes as it were a specific "world" which exists together with man, which appears in him and passes, and sometimes does not pass, but which consolidates itself and becomes deeply rooted in him. That kind of thinking would show too much confidence in our own abilities. Salvation means liberation from evil, and for this reason it is closely bound up with the problem of suffering. We may think that we give glory to God only by our worship and prayer, or simply by following certain ethical norms. The Empty Tomb. That is what it is to be a Christian! For he does not need our sacrifices, but wishes them to be offered to him, in order to stir our devotion and to profit our neighbour. Thank You, Father, that Your grace is sufficient and that no matter where I go or what I do You have promised to be with me. If we approach the Lord with sincerity and listen carefully, there may well be times when we hear his reproach: Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? (Mt 18:33). "He went about doing good"(32), and his actions concerned primarily those who were suffering and seeking help. Saint Paul says that what truly counts is faith working through love (Gal 5:6). Peacemakers truly make peace; they build peace and friendship in society. REJOICE AND BE GLAD (Mt 5:12), Jesus tells those persecuted or humiliated for his sake. In the end, by disembodying the mystery, they prefer a God without Christ, a Christ without the Church, a Church without her people.[36]. There is so much power to be had in persevering prayer. 10, 1-7; cfr. 21. Mercy has two aspects. He calls blessed those who forgive and do so seventy times seven (Mt 18:22). [16] Five Loaves and Two Fish, Pauline Books and Media, 2003, pp. The Lord is near. And slowly but effectively, Christ leads into this world, into this Kingdom of the Father, suffering man, in a certain sense through the very heart of his suffering. We turn now to the individual Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew (cf. This should excite and encourage us to give our all and to embrace that unique plan that God willed for each of us from eternity: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you (Jer 1:5). 5jTherefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. THOMAS AQUINAS, Summa Theologiae II-II, q. 6, 26; Am. And we also want to lift up all those today, who like them are seeking to live godly in Christ Jesus and who like them, are facing times of increasing difficulty. Is. Your identification with Christ and his will involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace. Father, I know that there is much about my journey through life that I do not understand, but Lord I trust You, for You have scheduled every day of my life and there are no dangers or disappointments, suffering or pain of which You are unaware, and which You will not use for Your greater glory and my eternal good. And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth"(43). In this way they can embrace Saint Pauls exhortation: Weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15). Is. Can holiness somehow be understood apart from this lively recognition of the dignity of each human being? Whatever weariness and pain we may experience in living the commandment of love and following the way of justice, the cross remains the source of our growth and sanctification. It is not enough that everything be calm and peaceful. Unless we can acknowledge our concrete and limited situation, we will not be able to see the real and possible steps that the Lord demands of us at every moment, once we are attracted and empowered by his gift. This denatures our spiritual experience. The Song of the Suffering Servant contains a description in which it is possible, in a certain sense, to identify the stages of Christ's Passion in their various details: the arrest, the humiliation, the blows, the spitting, the contempt for the prisoner, the unjust sentence, and then the scourging, the crowning with thorns and the mocking, the carrying of the Cross, the crucifixion and the agony. Saint Paul speaks of such joy in the Letter to the Colossians: "I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake"(88). 85. [60], 55. 22. Have a research question? Consumerism only bloats the heart. Gods word invites us clearly to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph 6:11) and to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph 6:16). This experience became a source of great wisdom for this humble daughter of Africa. e. gr. (14) Talia passi sunt tum Psaltes (cfr. 10so that you may approve what is excellent, sand so be pure and blameless tfor the day of Christ, Christ does not explain in the abstract the reasons for suffering, but before all else he says: "Follow me!". 72. We must learn who we are in Christ and what is available to us in Christ. It is evident that it is not a question here merely of giving a description of suffering. Let us ask for the apostolic courage to share the Gospel with others and to stop trying to make our Christian life a museum of memories. He discovers a new dimension, as it were, of his entire life and vocation. Then my glance fell upon the poor invalid whom I was supporting. Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Giving and forgiving means reproducing in our lives some small measure of Gods perfection, which gives and forgives superabundantly. While lamenting a lack of joy and hope as an obstacle to evangelization, he extols the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, linked to an interior enthusiasm that nobody and nothing can quench. 23. 114. Do you work for a living? 172. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you A servant is not greater than his master. Motu Proprio Maiorem Hac Dilectionem (11 July 2017), Art. These sufferings enable the recipients of that Letter to share in the work of the Redemption, accomplished through the suffering and death of the Redeemer. 18. 4, 1-3). All the saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me and to carry me.[1]. In other words, amid the thicket of precepts and prescriptions, Jesus clears a way to seeing two faces, that of the Father and that of our brother. It is suffering, more than anything else, which clears the way for the grace which transforms human souls. The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. The eloquence of the Cross and death is, however, completed by the eloquence of the Resurrection. To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. Strengthen and uphold me in the power of Your Spirit, and sustain and comfort me I pray, so that in all things I may patiently endure to the end to Your praise and glory. Humility can only take root in the heart through humiliations. 48 (47), 12; Ps. Faith in sharing in the suffering of Christ brings with it the interior certainty that the suffering person "completes what is lacking in Christ's afflictions"; the certainty that in the spiritual dimension of the work of Redemption he is serving, like Christ, the salvation of his brothers and sisters. (23) Dan. Is. We invoke all the Saints, who down the centuries in a special way shared in the suffering of Christ. Hos 2:16); there he desires to write his law (cf. Mary our Mother does not need a flood of words. Down through the centuries and generations it has been seen that in suffering there is concealed a particular power that draws a person interiorly close to Christ, a special grace. 20as it is my eager expectation and hope ithat I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full jcourage now as always Christ kwill be honored in my body, lwhether by life or by death. 9. This parable witnesses to the fact that Christ's revelation of the salvific meaning of suffering is in no way identified with an attitude of passivity. So often we say that God dwells in us, but it is better to say that we dwell in him, that he enables us to dwell in his light and love. The Song of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah speaks of this. Perhaps suffering is not wrapped up as much as man is by this mystery, which is an especially impenetrable one. 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