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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Levels of Suffering	Kate	Thursday, December 6, 2012
Question: Dear Brother, Why do some people appear to suffer? Are there different levels of suffering in people? I often times think of people suffering such as the homeless. Thank you, Kate
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Kate: Everyone suffers. There is not a single human being who ever existed, including Jesus and Mary, who did not suffer. Suffering in one of the consequences of Original Sin. People suffer to differing degrees, but the suffering one does is personal. What may be suffering to one person may not be suffering to another. For example, there are homeless people who do not consider their condition as suffering. Also, someone in a million dollar mansion with all the money in the world may suffer far, far more than the homeless person. A crippled man may not suffer, but a able-bodied man in the picture of health may suffer. We all suffer, but we each have our own idea of what constitutes suffering. We also each have our own perceptions about the intensity of our suffering. To whatever level, to whatever intensity we believe our suffering to be, all suffering is redemptive. Whether that be the suffering of a stubbed toe or the suffering of crucifixion, all suffering is redemptive and we ought to offer that suffering to God for the healing and salvation of souls. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Levels of Suffering

Kate

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Question:

Dear Brother,

Why do some people appear to suffer? Are there different levels of suffering in people? I often times think of people suffering such as the homeless.

Thank you,

Kate

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Dear Kate:

Everyone suffers. There is not a single human being who ever existed, including Jesus and Mary, who did not suffer. Suffering in one of the consequences of Original Sin.

People suffer to differing degrees, but the suffering one does is personal. What may be suffering to one person may not be suffering to another. For example, there are homeless people who do not consider their condition as suffering. Also, someone in a million dollar mansion with all the money in the world may suffer far, far more than the homeless person. A crippled man may not suffer, but a able-bodied man in the picture of health may suffer.

We all suffer, but we each have our own idea of what constitutes suffering. We also each have our own perceptions about the intensity of our suffering.

To whatever level, to whatever intensity we believe our suffering to be, all suffering is redemptive. Whether that be the suffering of a stubbed toe or the suffering of crucifixion, all suffering is redemptive and we ought to offer that suffering to God for the healing and salvation of souls.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum