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All of us experience problems and difficulties in our daily life causing us to undergo pain and suffering, no one is excluded and there is no escape. Often people put blame on God, and questioning why God make us to suffer? Atheists uses suffering as a reason to argue, there is no God. When come across difficulties, some are trying to comfort others by saying it is God’s will, and God has a plan. God is love, then why not eliminate pain and suffering?
How about suffering caused by natural disasters, Tsunami and earthquakes that we are not able to control, then the catastrophes like war, murder, shooting, epidemic, sudden death, miscarriage, accidents, etc… If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, with true love seeks for our good, so why does he allow bad things to happen?
Certainly, Jesus heals, and scripture confirms he has healed the sick, raised the dead, cleanse the leprosy, driven out demons and etc. Today there is healing mass, anointing the sick, novena and prayers, and we rejoice when we are healed. Even some Christian pastors claimed to have cured people with serious illnesses. Of course, with the power of the Holy Spirit, Disciples were able to perform many miraculous deeds too. Some faithful Christians believe if pray hard enough you will be healed. Are these directing us to get away from the suffering?
Interesting to note in Matthew 17: 19~20, disciples ashamed by not being able to cure the lunatic, privately asked Jesus "why could we not drive it out", and Jesus replied by saying "because of your little faith". Seems like a good excuse to blame the clergy, when failing to bring healing, because of the little faith. Is that mean we can get rid of suffering if we have faith?
When God created the world, Genesis mentioned 7 times, how good it was emphasizing the completeness and divine perfectness. Then why today it is a foul world with full of misery? Paul the Apostle explains that death came into the world through sin. God created man in his own image and to his likeness, with a veil of Holiness and Divine Grace around and was protected from every adversity. However, the disobedience has led to "The Fall of Man", the Original Sin that brought forth mankind the suffering and death. In the background of the original perfection, the natural order of creation, today we see disharmony in the world.
What does the Catholic Church say about the true meaning of suffering? How, why and where all these suffering coming from when God did not create us to be in a condition of suffering or death.
Same as Disciples sometimes we used to relate suffering as a punishment for sins. See John 9:2-3, "His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him." Therefore, we should not always assume suffering as a punishment for sins. Pope John Paul II wrote, "Suffering must serve for conversion, that is, for the rebuilding of goodness in the subject, who can recognize the divine mercy in this call to repentance".
God made man for eternal life with him, so that is why, John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." When we profess our faith by proclaiming "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."
It is obvious Jesus did NOT come to take away the suffering, he became a man like us and went through suffering, more than anyone else on the cross. Jesus has transformed the suffering into a redemption for the sake of mankind.
CCC 1505 explains "By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive passion." We should remember this when we pray "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world". Jesus brings the suffering to a new dimension for us by his redemption with his death and resurrection.
Suffering is definitely painful and difficult, but it is no more meaningless and useless.
Being in union with Jesus our suffering become redemptive.
Best explanation on suffering comes from St Paul in the Colossians 1:24 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church."
Once we come to our senses the salvific meaning of suffering, then we can turn around that suffering into a rejoice. For this our suffering should be for the sake of God, being partakers of redemptive suffering. Let’s offer our suffering in union with Jesus, suffering for the sake of love of Jesus, where we find rejoice.
There should not be anymore "why" on the suffering, Matthew 11: 28~30, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
How wonderful it is, when pain and suffering being used to accomplish meaningful ends. We can learn from the Prodigal son’s suffering when his senses come to realize of his misery, his awareness of his mistake made him to return immediately to his father.
Below are some glimpse from the saints on suffering, that we could learn from.
Padre Pio
O what precious moments these are. It is a happiness that the Lord gives me to relish almost always in moments of affliction. At these moments, more than ever, when the whole world troubles and weighs on me, I desire nothing other than to love and to suffer. Yes my father, even in the midst of so much suffering I am happy because it seems as if my heart is beating with Jesus' heart.
As Our Lord once told Saint Faustina
"If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering... You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone."
St. Therese of Lisieux
"I understood that to become a saint one had to suffer much, seek out always the most perfect thing to do, and forget self... I do not want to be a saint by halves. I'm not afraid to suffer for You. I fear only one thing: to keep my own will; so take it, for I choose all that You will!"
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