Eric J. Cassell (1928) said: “suffering is an affliction (ordeal) of the person who suffers…” But that wasn’t the case with Jesus because that suffering was imposed on Him but willingly was accepted by Jesus. Since these afflictions (could be physical or mental weakness; for instance, betrayal by Judas, the flee of the apostles when he got arrested, Pete’s denial… ) , were human weaknesses as a consequence of the fall and Jesus was without sin as St Paul writes, (2 Cor 5:21), “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness (dignified· virtuous · pure without sin). THAT’S HOW GOD CREATED US BUT SIN MADE US EVIL, MORTAL) of God in him.” And St Peter (1 Pet 2:24) confirms that by saying, “He himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
Therefore, God condemned our sins in the flesh of His completely innocent Son. And St Paul makes that clear to the Romans (4:25), “He . . . was delivered over because of our transgressions.” OFFENCES against God, our neighbour and ourselves. VIOLATION of God’s sacred law is everywhere abortion, marriage outside the church, contraception… And to the Corinthians he wrote, (1 Cor 15: 3), “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” (for example SON OF MAN in the book of Daniel 7:13 ). Moreover St. Peter summed up the essential of the history of salvation by saying (1 Pet 3:18), “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”
Psychologists would define healing as a process that restores harmony and balance between the mind and the body, Yes Jesus might heal our physical sickness but also He brings healing and restoration to our relationship with God by wiping all our sins. Only healing transcends suffering; including suffering that penetrates deeper than any sickness. And to regain yourself to a state as you were before, it could be hard sometimes if not impossible.
But remember that, to endure suffering is not an end in itself (a TARGET) but a CONSEQUENCE. A consequence of being filled with the Holy Spirit in which you can confess, testify and believe in the Holy Trinity. You have the ability to fight the evil that caused our downfall and to define the purpose of life which is Christ. Therefore, the cross has become a sign of life thanks to its saving act in which manifested the wisdom and power of our God as St. Paul declares, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, ( to those who cares about this life only) but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,” (1Cor 1:18). Who saves through weakness. “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. ” (Gal 3:13) But by that curse we have been redeemed. Yes God’s love for us has caused Him so much pain but His pain revealed to us His essence, that He’s love and mercy.
By His suffering and death on the cross He’s teaching us 4 things:
- not to give in to pain, but to endure it. There only we can gain strength,
- not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but on the contrary,
- to repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing…(1 Pet 3:9). That could be an eternal life. And because,
- to give you an example that you have to follow Christ in his steps (1 Pet 2:21). “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ” (Matt 16:24). That is why we honour and venerate the cross as a sign of life given to us by Christ our Lord that transcends any pain.
Therefore, ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS (1694- 1775) affirms by saying,
“Let us be afraid of being deprived ( stripped ) of suffering more than a miser is of his treasure. Sufferings are the jewels of Jesus Crucified … The more painful the cross, the greater our advantage. The more contradictory OPPOSED creatures are with us. the dearer we will be to our Creator. A single moment of tribulation ORDEAL محنة assures an immense weight of glory. Never to suffer would be the greatest danger for us.”
He also said, “The best and most sacred thing is to think and meditate on the sufferings of the Lord, because in this way we reach the sacred union with God… Love is a force that unites and makes the sufferings of the beloved the pains of the loving soul… accordingly the loving soul rejoys if suffers and in that passion, jubilates.” We need to ask ourselves, Do we actually live according to the sacrifice of the Cross which is the cause of our salvation? Because Sin makes us slaves to evil and being immoral is a slavery to sin and the only way you can be free is when you say yes to God as Jesus did because Freedom comes from being moral.
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