Redemptive Suffering
Mankind’s Participation in Its Own Redemption
And the meaning of
Pain is the megaphone that God uses to assist the deaf in hearing Him
Mankind’s Participation in Its Own Redemption
And the meaning of
Pain is the megaphone that God uses to assist the deaf in hearing Him
INTRODUCTION
Is suffering necessary? The answer could not be simpler. It may be found "hidden" in Lk 22:42, Mt 26:39 and Mk 14:36:
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be
done."
When suffering comes our way, Jesus Himself taught us to ask for it to pass us by (1). However, He also taught us to always defer to the Will of God by letting Him decide whether it is needed that we suffer so or not.
DETAILS
Suffering only has two purposes; both are constructive:
(A) To move and/or encourage a suffering individual to return to the right path. This is what is
meant by Pain is the megaphone that God uses to assist the deaf in hearing Him.
(B) Because God needs our suffering, to be used by virtue of the Communion of Saints, to assist other souls in their redemption.
(B) Because God needs our suffering, to be used by virtue of the Communion of Saints, to assist other souls in their redemption.
When we are facing situation (A) above, we should quickly ask God to help us see what we are blind to in our behavior and to help us correct our erred ways and bring our suffering to an end. This is good.
If we are facing situation (B) above, although the physical suffering may be great, there will be an inner joy and peace. A joy and a peace which only true collaboration with God can bring. This is also good.
A Pearl of Divine Wisdom
As part of the communications associated with Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima the faithful were informed not to seek additional mortification to offer to God, but to accept, and then offer, any and all difficulties that we encounter in our daily lives for: Love of Jesus, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of poor sinners.
Why was this simple instruction important enough for the Mother of the Son of God to personally deliver it to mankind?
First: Heaven knew (2) that we were not going to fully respond to Its
exhortations to holiness. A refusal which would make the 20th Century the bloodiest century of
human history.
Second: Heaven did not want that such suffering be wasted since, if properly offered, it would become an auto-corrective mechanism for mankind’s ills.
Second: Heaven did not want that such suffering be wasted since, if properly offered, it would become an auto-corrective mechanism for mankind’s ills.
How does it work? Although miguel de Portugal has been aware of the actual spiritual mechanism that is set in motion when we make such offering, it was only in the year 2002 that he was allowed to talk about it.
The Mechanism
There are some sins for which Divine Justice demands reparation before God can work the pleasure of His Mercy in that soul and attract it to Him.
The mechanism has two parts:
(a) Opening a window through which that soul may reach out to God for forgiveness; and
simultaneously
(b) Exercise a supernatural effect over that soul for it to seek such forgiveness from God.
(b) Exercise a supernatural effect over that soul for it to seek such forgiveness from God.
But... who is going to make the reparation demanded by Divine Justice if:
(a) The individual (soul) in question does not even know God; or
(b) The individual (soul) does not even know that he/she has a serious outstanding debt with God?
(b) The individual (soul) does not even know that he/she has a serious outstanding debt with God?
That is, how is that soul going find its redemption if he/she has no idea that, should they die instantly, they would irremediably end up in eternal damnation?
It is then when the obedient faithful, you and I, must take action. It is our responsibility, yes, responsibility!, to make the necessary reparation on behalf of such individuals. God is counting on that to deliver them from eternal damnation.
The mechanism is both simple and awesome.
Some will say: "That is arrogance. God does not need anyone of us to save another."
Well, that is intrinsically true. God needs nothing except what He decides to “need”; and He chose to “need” man’s cooperation in His plan of salvation. It is that simple!
Those who have studied the Fátima events (3) will remember Jacinta’s continued concern about the poor sinners that would go to hell. She could not do enough penance as acts of reparation for their spiritual benefit. What we have explained to you, in the Name of God, is precisely the reason. She knew this.
The faithful will also remember that Francisco could not think of anything else but of consoling his beloved Jesus. Why did Jesus need so much consoling? Because too many people were destined to great suffering because not enough people were making the necessary reparation.
The answer is both simple and awesome.
CONCLUSION
This writer has endured much suffering as vicarious acts of reparation. He can also categorically assure you that: The "inner joy and peace" associated with such offering cannot be described in human terms; even when the protracted suffering reached a sustained level that caused his face to be temporarily disfigured by the pain.
This was not self imposed suffering. Self imposed physical suffering is masochism (4) regardless of what pious name is used for it. The suffering miguel experienced was granted by God as He collected on a spiritual offering presented to Him by him at an earlier date for the spiritual benefit of a certain segment of the world’s population. The collection process —the severe pain— lasted several months.
Although anxiously awaiting for God to finish the collection process, this miguel did not want it to end one second earlier than God needed it to end. Make no mistake, this was not miguel’s personal triumph; all merit belongs to the Grace of God which allowed such opportunity and the sustenance through it all.
Take courage you faithful ones – With God All Is Truly Well even when we do not first understand what is taking place. However, we must never try to upstage Jesus Christ by not humbly requesting God to “take the cup of suffering away” if at all possible. After all, Jesus did! [Matthew 26:39]
I promise you, it is true!
NOTES
(1) Anyone who wants to be more of a martyr than Our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught
us by example to ask for relief, is unknowingly showing arrogance veiled in piety.
Related Documents
Don’t Despair! - Don’t Give Up!
Suffering? You Do Not Have To! Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me!
Spiritual Dysfunction - Their Identification, Treatment and Cure
Divine Mercy - The Only Hope For Mankind
The relationship between "Time" and "Eternity" - Predestination or Free Will
Detailed chronology of the Fatima Events - The pleas of Heaven, ignored - Rome is responsible for World War II
When masochism is disguised as Religious Asceticism
The Reality of The Purgatory - As reflected in The Old and New Testaments
Suffering? You Do Not Have To! Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me!
Spiritual Dysfunction - Their Identification, Treatment and Cure
Divine Mercy - The Only Hope For Mankind
The relationship between "Time" and "Eternity" - Predestination or Free Will
Detailed chronology of the Fatima Events - The pleas of Heaven, ignored - Rome is responsible for World War II
When masochism is disguised as Religious Asceticism
The Reality of The Purgatory - As reflected in The Old and New Testaments
En Español: Sufrimiento - La participación de la Humanidad en su propia Redención
Em Portugues: Sofrimento - A Participação da Humanidade na Sua Própia Redenção
Published on June 2018 - a combination of two documents originally published on 1999 and 2002
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