| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| Suffering | Konrad | Thursday, November 22, 2007 |
Question: Dear Brother Ignatius Mary, What is the Catholic understanding of suffering? That is to say; is it necessary? Does it have redemptive value? How is suffering and penance related/interlinked? Is suffering and the state of holiness correlated (the more suffering (offered to God) the greater the holiness? I raise the question as I have recently been speaking to a Franciscan about suffering. He has an immeasurable love for our Lady and deeply respects the messages at Fatima. He stated that as Catholics we should be suffering, and offering this suffering up for the salvation of souls. That we should look past just our own salvation and suffer for others so that they may too reach eternal happiness. Moreover, in St. Faustina’s diary, the Saint makes the connection between suffering and state of holiness. Thank you your time Respectfully, and God bless, Konrad Totus Tuus Maria |
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| Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM
Dear Konrad: Suffering is a natural experience of the fallen world. Suffering has a special value in that it is redemptive in nature and allows us to share in the suffering of Christ in His Passion and join our suffering with His. Suffering, properly understood, leads us to holiness if we allow God to make it so. Offering our suffering for the salvation of souls is a mission for all of us. In God's economy suffering raises spiritual power. Satan understands this and uses suffering in a perverted way to raise demonic power. For us, however, our suffering provides us with great prayer power to pray for our loved ones, neighbors, and the world. We should not pray, "Lord give me suffering" unless we know this to be a mission from God and we check that with a wise confessor or spiritual director, nor do we need to seek suffering. But when suffering happens, which it will happen, we ought to give that suffering to God, see that suffering as redemptive for our own souls and for the souls of others, accept the experiences as one where God can bring blessing to us, allow suffering to mode us into saints. This does not mean that we cannot seek relief from suffering -- such as pain medication -- but in as much as we have pain and suffering offer it to God for the salvation of souls and for other intentions. With that said, we should not be afraid of suffering. If medication is available that is fine, but if not, or if the medication does not work well, we need not be miserable if we truly understand the redemptive nature of suffering. I am reminded of the death from cancer of Father John Hardon. He was a holy man and priest. In the final couple of weeks of his life when the pain medication was no longer working he had the presence of mind to pray to God, "Lord give me more pain." This was a man who understood the redemptive nature of suffering and in this particular circumstance, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he asked for more pain so that he could offer that pain to God for the redemption of souls. He sacrificed the last couple weeks of his life for the salvation of others. What a holy man! Only God knows, of course, but I believe Father Hardon went directly to heaven, bypassing purgatory altogether. Listen to your Franciscan friend and to St. Faustina. God Bless,
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