Reflection On The Role Of Suffering

[Fr. Antony Maria OSB]

Alright, I just finished reading the Apostolic Letter [i]Salvific Doloris: On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering[/i] by Pope John Paul II for my Theology class, and I wrote a reflection on it. I am just wondering if what I wrote is accurate.

Because Christ, being man, opened up the possibility of suffering with Him for the sake of the Kingdom of God, if we add to our sufferings the Love which is God we, in a sense, help to continually accomplish the Redemption achieved by the Cross of Christ. Through no merits of our own, but through the Love Christgave for us and to us from the Cross, our uniting of our sufferings to His add Love to what He suffered. Since God is Love we, in a sense, are giving God to our sufferings by offering our sufferings in union with Christ, Who experienced the full potential of human suffering. By continually giving God to our sufferings, the Redemption achieved for us by God through the Cross is constantly being renewed. Therefore, we add nothing to Christ's suffering and death by giving our own sufferings to God, but allow that Redemption to constantly be gained for us by God. Because of this, a purpose of human suffering is to allow for the redemption of the human race, achieved by Christ, to last for all eternity, as, by joining our sufferings to His, the redemptive value of the Cross and of God's Love for all mankind is continually being refreshed by the Love that is God. Christ has taken all suffering upon Himself for the Redemption of the world: by giving our sufferings to Him out of love for mankind, we enter into the Mystery of the Cross, allowing for the Redemption to continue and to flourish. When we do this for the sake of the Kingdom of God, we give to humanity the Gift that surpasses all gifts, that of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who gave of Himself for all of us. in this sense, in the words of the Apostle, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives within me," as Christ's Life cannot be taken of Him, but He gives it freely for us. So, by giving our sufferings to God, we allow Christ to work through us for all eternity for the redemption of all mankind.

Just wondering if this is Theologically correct and if it sums up, partially, Pope JPII's Apostolic Letter. Thanks!

May God bless and protect you always in all of your endeavors!

Your Brother in Christ,

Joe

[cappie]

I don't disagree with what you have written although I haven't read the document in some time however
As I read it, in Salvifici Doloris suffering is the consequence of sin, and Christ embraces that consequence, rather than repudiating it. By embracing suffering, he shares fully in it, he takes the consequence of sin into and onto himself. He does this out of love for us, not simply because he wants to redeem us, but because he wants to be with us, to share what we share, to experience what we experience. And it is this shared love, this shared suffering in love, which completes and perfects the relationship broken in sin, and so redeems us.

Thus the meaning of suffering is fundamentally changed by the Incarnation. Apart from the Incarnation, suffering is the consequence of sin. It offers opportunities for insight into oneself, for personal growth, and for demonstrating practical love for others, but these are incidental. Because of the Incarnation, however, we become sharers in the Body of Christ. Our suffering becomes his suffering, and becomes an expression of redeeming love.