Anyone out there have any sufferings cross their path lately? Perhaps it’s something transitory like recently losing a job. Perhaps it’s something long term like caring for someone with a disability. Maybe it’s the anxious wait to meet the right person or the heartache of dealing with marriage problems. Then of course there are the sufferings that most of us will never have to encounter such as starvation or a lack of clean drinking water.
Suffering is a strange thing, it surrounds us and all of us will meet it in some shape at various points through our lives, yet most people have no idea about how to respond to it.
I recall once being down about something and a friend said to me in all sincerity, “just remember that there is always someone worse off than you.” I am sure many of you have given or received similar advice. And at face value the logic is true. I am not living on a dollar-a-day in a third world country; I have a car and a house and people who love me. Surely I would be better to consider the trials of others before getting all worked up about my own sufferings?
Of all the faith systems in the world, Christianity has the most profound understanding of suffering. After all, its founder was put to death and the instrument of his death – the cross – has become the enduring Christian sign. The call of Christ to “take up your cross” is a part of common speech. But what does it mean to take up our cross and how does that play into the daily sufferings we face?
Perhaps, if we do not understanding suffering the best we believe we can offer is a consolation which compares sufferings. The crux of the matter, though, is that while God does not directly will for anyone to suffer, he does allow such sufferings and he allows them in ways that can be beneficial for us, if we embrace them in the correct spirit. Our crosses are actually specifically shaped for us, they take into account our strengths and our weaknesses and what we need (often this is very different from what we think we need).
Perhaps the family with no food in Africa is objectively in a more desperate situation than I am, but my particular cross is not one of starvation. It really does not matter what someone else is suffering with because what is real to me is my particular suffering in this moment, even if it is objectively less than another. I do not need someone to tell me that my cross is not the biggest cross. The fact is, it is my cross.
If we believe Christ’s command to take up our cross then it would seem we actually have a duty to embrace the particular sufferings that fall our way. I am certainly not saying that we have to desire suffering and pain, but perhaps we need to look more deeply into our particular cross to see what good is within.
If we live with an attitude that refuses to accept suffering, then we might actually be closing ourselves off to an important gift that has been offered to us alone. Every event we encounter is, in a broad sense, sacramental, that is, it is an external sign containing within it God’s action for us.
We might consider what would have happened if Christ decided not to embrace his cross. The cross of Christ is the source of salvation; it points to a love that we will spend our lives aspiring towards. Our own crosses are our paths to salvation when taken up and united with the cross of Christ.
You may know the phrase “offer it up.” It’s often something told to children who are complaining, but it has a deep and lasting value that we should probably all seek to embrace in our own lives. To offer something up, from drinking cold coffee to the way we deal with tragic news, gives us an outlook that quite simply, the world cannot give.
It is not that one walks into the hospital room of a friend diagnosed with cancer and simply says “offer it up” and walks out. If though in our lives we have come to understand that our crosses can be the tools that God gives to help us towards salvation, we will be in a far better place to truly be with the one who is suffering. Instead of trying to distract the sufferer from their pain and pretend it is not as bad as it could be we can help them to see the cross before them with new eyes.
5 thoughts on “What is the Point of Suffering?”
I thank God & Blessed Mary for showing me how necessary it is to offer up our sufferings & to give thanks & praise to God in ALL THINGS, including the loss of our married daughter, even though we will never know the cause of her death, being laid-off, getting a broken foot on Thanksgiving Day (which helped to save my life, as I was near death, without knowing it) & now, with terminal bone cancer, which the doctor believes that my time is almost up and because I have this cancer, I was able to get oil from the bones of St. Walburga, of which appears on her, from Oct. to the end of Feb.. Yes, offer everything, good or “bad” to Our Blessed Lady for the Kingdom of God, & life will have more meaning and besides, if we don’t offer it up, what would happen? we would just sit around & complain, of which, God does not like. Praise God!!! +JMJ+
God bless you and thank you for sharing your crosses with us. I will pray for you Hollie.
That takes us to another garden, the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus demonstrated a perfect prayer life as he prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
If I remember right, Pope Benedict was asked what he would ask God. He responded, “Why does it have to be so awful?”.
God did not have to be paid off for our damnation. However, he did chose to touch death and suffering as well as our joys in an act of Love in Jesus. Why not wave a wane? Every bit of suffering was transformed into something mighty. Even death, which was transformed into life. Such display of power and Love. Why? Only God knows, but we can cry as Mary did.
“Princess Mononoke” expresses something quite similar of the ending. You might enjoy the music and cartoon. It is OK to cry, please remember the hope of Glory, a promise made by one who can keep it. I supposed reached through tears.
Thank you! Well stated Bernard; “If we live with an attitude that refuses to accept suffering, then we might actually be closing ourselves off to an important gift that has been offered to us alone.” I also truly believe that something real happens when we unite our sufferings with those of Our Lord. Soon after I began painting 7 years ago, I began to see a pattern; As I offered up the trials which came, large and small, suddenly, the work at hand would take a leap of progress! I realized The Lord was showing me visually, the reality of the graces He gives us, when we offer it up!
Great post, Bernard! It reminds me of the pilgrimage that I am about to embark on, which is the Way of St. James this coming June. Walking 17 days for 15 miles per day to Santiago de Compestela is guaranteed to have its share of suffering! But the beauty of it is that we carry the sufferings of others and offer it up to God as a fragrance to the pierced heart of Christ, for reparation of our sins, and for the salvation of souls. It it not just a journey of helping each other get to Spain but a great teaching of helping souls get to heaven. Leave no soul behind! I encourage you to check out this website: http://www.wayofstjamesmovie.com. We hope to invite others into this journey of suffering and redemption by filming a documentary of 12 men going for a 40 day walk from my parish. What a great way to evangelize and bring as many souls to Christ.
Thank you for sharing your spiritual gifts and for imitating Christ through His sufferings. God bless!