[Greek] πάσχω (paschō), [Latin] patere, [Latin] miserere, [Latin] passio, [Latin] sufferre, [French] endurer, [Latin] avoir pitie (have pity): to suffer, to undergo an experience (passion), to experience suffering, to endure, to feel in some measure, to suffer pain (hardship); 46 scriptural references
We all must pray for and support all those who have suffered, losing loved ones and/or their homes. Although these are material treasures, we also must be mindful of their meaning to them.
Background Information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to suffer, to experience something, to suffer misfortune, to suffer from an illness, to suffer evil, and to undergo.
Seneca: “Misfortune is virtue’s opportunity.”
Homer’s Odyssey 5.223: “For this I have suffered much and toiled amid the war.”
Sophocles’ Antigone: “For death is gain to him, whose life like mine, is full of misery.”
Sophocles: “You must remember that no one lives a life free from pain and suffering.”
Sophocles: “One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love.”
Old Testament: This term means to suffer under, to be oppressed by, to become weak (sick), to be punished, and to be grieved (sorry). Suffering occurs with Israel’s enemies and the people of Israel. The sufferings of Israel are due in part to divine punishment for their sinful deeds and actions. Although there could be some overlap with Maccabees, this term generally does not directly apply to the willing martyrdom theology developed in 2 Maccabees.
New Testament: Essentially, this term refers to Christ’s sufferings and Christians’ suffering for His sake. For purposes of brevity, scriptural references of Jesus’ suffering will be excluded.
Scripture:
Mt.17:15: “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic [epileptic] and suffers severely; often falls into a fire, and often into water.” (At this time in history, epilepsy was not fully known or understood. It was thought that the moon caused epilepsy. The Latin noun lunatic was one who was “moon-struck”.)
Mt.27:19: “While Pilate was seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, ‘Have nothing to do with this righteous man. I have suffered much in a dream because of Him.'” (Jesus’ innocence was declared by a Gentile women in a dream. This dream evokes guilt and alarm in Pilate’s wife. Matthew often utilizes dreams as a means of divine communication.)
Mk.5:26: “The hemorraghic woman had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.” (This woman approached Jesus and touched His cloak, believing that she would be healed. Jesus, aware that power had gone out of Him, stated that her faith had saved her.)
Lk.13:2: “Jesus said to them in reply, ‘Do you think that because the Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans?'” (Some Gentiles were deliberately killed by Pilates’s hand. Some Gentiles were killed because a tower had fallen down. Jesus seeks to dispel the notion that victims of tragedies are NOT necessarily singled out for punishment. However, Jesus reminds them of the need for all of them to repent.)
1Cor.12:26: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.” (Christ’s relationship with the Church consists of one body with many parts.)
Gal.3:4: “Did you experience so many things in vain?– if indeed it was in vain.” (Paul calls the Galatians stupid for being morally lacking and easily led astray by false teachers. The Galatians have become conformed to the world. Paul asks the Galatians if it is all in vain after suffering so much to only lose their salvation. Were the Galatians’ efforts all in vain?)
Php.1:19: “For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for Him.”
Steadfastness in faith:
- One must conduct oneself in a way worthy of the gospel. (Conducting oneself with a clear conscience before God.)
- One must have theological unity in the midst of suffering. (The community’s minds are striving together in one faith, leading the soul [desire and emotions] to follow.)
- One must not be intimidated by one’s opponents. (The Christian must be likened to a discipline athlete or well-armed soldier.)
- This steadfastness will lead to your salvation. (Perseverance and strength will be richly rewarded in heaven.)
1Pet.2:19: “For whenever anyone bears unjust suffering because of God, that is a grace.”
- If you are patient when suffering for doing what is good, that is a grace and blessing
- For you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you. Christ leaves you and example that you should follow in His footsteps.
- In our culture which avoids and fears suffering, this notion of suffering becomes counter-intuitive and difficult.
[Greek] συμπάσχω (sympaschō), [Latin] compatior:
Rom.8:17: “If children of God, then heirs of God and joint heir with Christ, if only we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (We suffer and are glorified with Him. Christians, with the Spirit’s presence, share new life in relationship with God. Christians share in BOTH SUFFERINGS AND GLORY in Christ.)
Rom.8:18: ” [Paul]: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed to us.” (The glory that believers are destined to share FAR EXCEEDS the sufferings of the present life. This earthly life is just a blink of time (or drop in the bucket) in comparison to eternity.)
Perspectives on Suffering:
“Don’t waste your suffering.” St. John Paul II
“The greater you suffer, the greater God’s love for you.” St. Padre Pio
“If you really want to love Jesus, first learn to suffer, because suffering teaches you love.” St. Gemma Galgani
“Let us understand that God is a physician, and that suffering is medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.” St. Augustine.
“Trials are nothing else but the forge that purifies the soul of all its imperfections.” St. Maria Magdalen de Pazzi
“You will be consoled according to the greatness of your sorrow and affliction. The greater the suffering, the greater will be the reward.” St. Maria Magdalen de Pazzi
“The greatest good suffering can do for me is increase my capacity for God.” Joni Eareckson Tada
10 Reasons to Believe in a God Who Allows Suffering
- Suffering comes with the freedom to choose.
- Pain can warn us of danger.
- Suffering reveals what is in our hearts—
It has a way of revealing what is in our own hearts. Capacities for love, mercy, anger and pride can lie dormant until awakened by circumstances. Strength and weakness of heart is found not when everything is going our way by when suffering and trials test our character. The human heart is revealed and developed by enduring the pressure and heat of time and circumstance. Strength of character is shown not when all is well with our world but in the presence of human pain and suffering.
- Suffering takes us to the edge of eternity—
If death is the end of everything, then a life filled with suffering isn’t fair. But if the end of this life brings us to the threshold of eternity, the most fortunate people in the universe are those who discover, through suffering, that this life is not all we have to live for. Those who find themselves and their eternal God through suffering have not wasted their pain. They have let their poverty, grief, and hunger drive them to the Lord of eternity. They are the ones who will discover to their own never-ending joy when Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Pain looses our grip on this life—
In time, our work and our opinions are sought less and less. Our bodies become increasingly worse for the wear. Problems loom larger and larger while options narrow. Each new pain makes this world less inviting and the next life more appealing. In its own way, pain paves the way for a graceful departure.
- Suffering gives us an opportunity to trust God.
- God suffers with us in our suffering.
- God’s comfort is greater than our suffering.
- In times of crisis, we find one another—
Natural disasters and times of crises have a way of bring us together. Suddenly we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things. Each time we discover God’s comfort in our own suffering, our capacity to help others is increased.
- God can turn suffering around for our good.
Conclusion:
Paschal, passion, patient, endure, perpetuate (to endure to the full), perpetual
Greek tragedies often provided a social commentary on the moral issues (human condition) of the day. This in turn may have provided one with personal self-discovery or insight about these cultural issues.
The Old Testament culture perceives that the meaning of suffering is for salvation’s sake and readiness for God. There could perhaps be a gray area between fidelity to God, vicarious suffering, persecution, and willing martyrdom. As you know, the books of Maccabees referred to the Zealots (Jews who sought to overthrow the Romans).
Update: We all should offer our prayers for the victims of Los Angeles wildfires, and recent hurricanes Helene and Milton and those impacted by war and violence. Sometimes we often lose sight of that there are always others who may be in far more difficult situations that we are in.
Inevitably, investigations will be started in determining the human causes and/or natural causes of these wildfires. Officials must look into arson, lack of water supply, fire dept. governmental malfeasance, inadequate resources, forest management, and even global warming. Unfortunately, many victims have suffered as a result of this.
Not surprisingly, we are already hearing stories of neighbors courageously helping each other.
Unfortunately, many Traditional and conservative Catholics are becoming very alarmed by how this Synodal path is undermining Jesus’ Church. Jesus’ Church is being transformed into a synodal church in the image of man (and his lived experiences) conforming to the world. It is actually becoming a nightmare!
In this synodal Church, lived experiences [in the world] seem to be more valued than fidelity to Christ and Church teachings (doctrine). This inevitably leads to a practical atheism, where only “lip-service” is given to Christ.
We all should learn from the hemorraghic woman in having faith and trust that Jesus will heal and help us.
It is an unfortunate reality that we live in a dangerous world filled with disease, suffering, war, violence, and racism. Many people die from natural causes, accidents, and from intentional causes. Jesus reminds each of us that we must get our salvation (spiritual affairs) in order before we face judgment. Life is often very fleeting and short. We need to make the most of our lives on earth!
In this synodal Church, it seems that bringing souls into heaven (TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS SINFUL) is overshadowed by tolerance, mercy above all else, inclusion, and situational morality. Many people’s eternal souls could be in peril. This is what inevitably happens when you have a synodal Church (made in the image of man and his lived experiences).
We are also reminded in that we may experience opposition, persecution, and even martyrdom. Bishop Strickland has essentially become a white martyr in standing up for the faith in this post Christian secular world. One may be called rigid, intolerant, and hateful by the world and Modernists.
Unfortunately, Bishop Strickland’s pleas to his brother bishops are falling on deaf ears. Many bishops remain silent, cowardly, and complicit about dangers, doctrinal errors, and heresy of this synodal movement. Many clergy are fearful of opposition, excommunication, laicization, removal during this Bergoglian Reign of Terror. Other clergy keep quiet for hope of potential advancement in the Church hierarchy.
Many are often unaware that come are called to suffer whether they realize it or not. This is often part of God’s will for some people. This suffering can be efficacious and redemptive when we can offer up our salvation for the salvation of souls. This suffering can be a grace according to God.
Another aspect of redemptive suffering: this may allow one to become all the more closer to Jesus.
“God will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it.” St. Francis de Sales
Next post: storing spiritual (heavenly) treasures