I recently came across these wise words about suffering from Fr. Stephen Doyle, O.F.M. We all suffer in one way or another, but what is our reaction to this suffering? Please consider the following passage:
Suffering can diminish people or make them grow. How sad it is to encounter those who have become whiners or complainers when faced with the burden of illness or age. What a joy to come in contact with those whose spirit glows even or perhaps because of suffering. What accounts for the difference? Some ask the right question, and some ask the wrong question.
Some ask, "Why is God doing this to me," or "What did I do to deserve this?" That is the wrong question, but even Jesus' disciples asked it. "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?" (John 9:2) The question presumes that all suffering is due to personal sin and comes as a punishment from a vindictive God. It has been called "ambush" theology. It presents an angry and mean-spirited God who is just waiting for us to make a false move. Hardly the image of his Father that Jesus gives us.
Such a question is fundamentally wrong because it has no answer. It can only lead to frustration or even loss of faith. Even Jesus did not tell us why there is suffering in the world or where it comes from. Instead, he helped us to ask the right question. "What can I do with this illness, this suffering?" This question has an answer that will enable us to grow and to help others. We can do with our suffering what Jesus did with his. We can embrace it with love and join in his saving work. Because we are one with him, he is willing to make our sufferings his own. Jesus did not physically cure everyone he met, as he cured this man at the pool. He does not say to everyone, "Rise and walk." But he is always willing to heal. He may begin the healing by helping us to ask the right question.
5 comments:
I can in no way come close to the suffering you have experienced in your illness thus far, but this post really makes me think twice about how much complaining I do! Thank you for posting this.
Annie Dillard writes, in Holy the Firm:
His disciples asked Christ about a roadside beggar who had been blind from birth, “Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" And Christ, who spat on the ground, made a mud of his spittle and clay, plastered the mud over the man's eyes, and gave him sight , answered, "Neither this man has sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest to him." Really? If we take this answer to refer to the affliction itself-and not the subsequent cure-as "God's work made manifest,” then we have, along with "Not as the world gives do I give unto you," two meager, baffling and infuriating answers to one of the few questions worth asking, to wit, What in Sam Hill is going on here?
The works of God made manifest? Do we really need more victims to remind us that we are all victims? Is this some sort of parade for which a conquering army shines up its terrible guns and rolls them up and down the street for people to see? Do we needs blind men stumbling about, and little flame faced children, to remind us what God can-and will-do?
...Yes in fact, we do. We do need reminding, not of what God can do, but of what he cannot do, or will not, which is to catch time in its free fall and steal a nickel's worth of sense into our days. And we need reminding of what time can do, must only do: churn out enormity at random and beat it, with God's blessing, into our heads: that we are created, created, sojourners in a land we did not make, a land with no meaning of itself and no meaning we can make for it alone. Who are we to demand explanations of God? (And what monsters of perfections should we be if we did not?). We forget ourselves, picnicking; we forget where we are. There is no such thing as a freak accident. "God is at home," says Meister Eckhart, "We are in the far country."
I hope that you are doing well, Padre.
Beautiful and so holy, Philip! Thank you for sharing this as its a concept that this world, always searching for pain-free answers, can't grasp!
Prayers!
Not certain where to put this request; guess this page works. Please, include another brain tumor patient among your utterances Heavenward? Michelle, cancer-free seven years, bride-to-be in June...alas her lifelong nemesis has revealed itself once again. At age 6, 16, and now just weeks before her wedding. They received a dispensation and became husband and wife this Saturday; checked into the hospital Sunday. Michelle and her family ask only for prayers....Thank you Philip! Prayers for you!
A follow-up....From the most recent post of Michelle's page:
Just returned from Duke with some good news. Dr. xxxx looked at Michelle's scans and was very pleased. Michelle's scans continued to improve without treatment. He now believes that Michelle most likely has an inflammation of her brain stem as opposed to the necrosis. This is the best news we've received yet as necrosis would mean dead tissue that would not repair and could continue to spread. Inflammatory tissue should continue to heal. Her symptoms have improved a bit. There is still a small shadow on her scans. The doctor recommends continuing PT but he wants Michelle to be more active. Activity will teach her brain to make new connections. An appointment with an ENT will be necessary to help with her continued dizziness. Scan in 6 months. We will send the scans to Hopkins to see if they agree.
Many, many, many thank you's for your offerings and those of all your readers. Prayers of thanksgiving for you continue ~
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