1 Corinthians 1:20-23
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
Comment
The two simple reactions to pain and loss:
One is a protest – This is outrageous – How dare God arranges this so that I have to suffer.
That protest is important. Man is asking for fulfilment.
I experience only the loss. It is not right. That is only the penultimate word.
The ultimate word ought to be an expression of hope.
Is there someone, somewhere who can take this pain, who can carry it, absorb it and somehow dissolve it in the fire of His love, which is much greater, which masters the pain. In Christ we have that.
Who God is, is precisely as Jesus shows Himself to be. He really is God. He really is man. Docetism was a heresy that was dealt with early on where they say God was pretending to be man.
We emphasise that we have to look to Christ and to Christ on the Cross to get to the core of this mystery that God is love. What does that Cross teach us?
One thing is clear is that if it hadn’t been for the Cross then the truth that God is love would remain unfounded, unconvincing.
How do you know God is love if He isn’t prepared to prove it?
To dramatise it by His own suffering love, His own willingness to descend into the brokenness of the human condition. Looking at this crucified God, you can’t help but explain this is what love means. Here is the embodiment of love.
Suffering with, entering deeply into my own pain.
Whatever descent I have – depression or pain or whatever, has already been included, contained within the infinite descent of Christ.
He blazes the trail through this forest of pain.
So I could never accost God and say “Look, you didn’t understand my pain and it somehow exceeded what you had to endure”
How does He taking His own pain involve my pain?
What He does not assume He will not redeem!
This is the ancient patristic refrain. If He assumes my life, my death then He includes both in His own life and death.
His humanity somehow encompasses mine. So by looking to Him, I have more than an example on how to suffer and die.
I have a source of efficacious grace which enables me to triumph, not just to endure, not just to simply submit but to become victorious in the face of suffering.
I have Easter.
Source: Regis Martin – “Franciscan University Presents”
Showing posts with label Franciscan University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Franciscan University. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Romans 5: 2-5 Suffering
Romans 5: 2-5
Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
Comment
A very universal experience with respect to suffering especially when it is severe and hits at the root of your physical, and maybe psychological, integrity it tends to reveal your deepest loves and deepest hates.
I spoke with an oncology nurse a few years back and she explained that in the paediatric ward the parents would come in to see their children suffering and pretty much one of two things happen.
Either they are solidified in their love and their faith or they are broken apart and hatred comes out.
The cross, not just Christ, but the two next to Him reveal a lot about how we ought to react to suffering.
The bad thief on the cross reacts with a hatred, a rancour against God and other people.
Christ reacts to His suffering by recognising this is the Fathers will for good even though it is breaking Him ‘to the bone’.
The good thief recognises that he deserves it but Christ does not.
There is a lot to be revealed there but in suffering, our deepest loves or lack of love will be revealed if the sufferings are acute enough.
Source: Michael Sirilla – “Franciscan University Presents”
Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
Comment
A very universal experience with respect to suffering especially when it is severe and hits at the root of your physical, and maybe psychological, integrity it tends to reveal your deepest loves and deepest hates.
I spoke with an oncology nurse a few years back and she explained that in the paediatric ward the parents would come in to see their children suffering and pretty much one of two things happen.
Either they are solidified in their love and their faith or they are broken apart and hatred comes out.
The cross, not just Christ, but the two next to Him reveal a lot about how we ought to react to suffering.
The bad thief on the cross reacts with a hatred, a rancour against God and other people.
Christ reacts to His suffering by recognising this is the Fathers will for good even though it is breaking Him ‘to the bone’.
The good thief recognises that he deserves it but Christ does not.
There is a lot to be revealed there but in suffering, our deepest loves or lack of love will be revealed if the sufferings are acute enough.
Source: Michael Sirilla – “Franciscan University Presents”
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