Practical Observations: What happens when suffering is combined with rebellion, resentment, resignation? Or the extreme, what happens when society tries to eliminate all suffering, with a goal of complete safety? It makes the suffering worse, i.e. lockdowns, masks, vax deaths.
A paradox from St. Faustina, “when a soul is suffering meditation on the Crucified Lord is a soothing balm”. This life cannot be safe. More one pursues safety, this less free one becomes.
Hedonistic society tries to avoid suffering at all costs and will pay any price.
Fear, a sign of not trusting the Lord, makes suffering worse. Often, the rumination of possible consequences is worse than sorrows endured. Why? God gives grace in the measure needed. Again, back to Fr. Thesis statement of the need for faith, hope, love to be free.
Accepting suffering as a means to a good, guards against euthanasia. Every life, no matter the outward circumstances, is infinitely valuable and blessed. Value of life is not an outwards measure but an interior one.
We have control by initiating or causing the end, completion.
Suffering= fruits
- We are not the masters of our universe; we open our understanding to God’s movements (holiness) which is contra to sin and is a narrowing of God.
- Purification of seeking knowledge. Motives are revealed. Obsession with curiosity diabolical experiments on the unborn. No goodness. Faustian bargain.
- Discover God is faithful. He is our Rock. Learn to have abandonment to Providence.
- Guards against presumption, thinking we always know God’s will. Humble and painful to acknowledge uncertainty.
- Empathetic to others
- We learn how to forgive ourselves or others
- Divine Mercy is encountered
- Greater love of Our Lady of Sorrows is fostered,
> Everything is grace