CFS-WB-CH18

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Chapter 18 Overview Sooner or later, everyone suffers. No matter how successful someone is, or how perfect their life might look, they have or will experience loss, pain, and suffering in some way. You are almost an adult, and to this point in your life you may not have experienced any real trials, or you may have endured — and still may be enduring — genuine hardships. Why does God allow this to happen? How can we make sense of suffering in the world as Christians? In this chapter, we will take a closer look at three Christian insights into suffering as we begin to answer the question of why God would allow it to happen. We will also look at common misunderstandings of why there is suffering in the world, and why they are incompatible with who God is. In this chapter you will learn that … ■ Jesus Himself endured great suffering. ■ By reflecting on Christ’s Suffering, Death, and Resurrection, we can gain three special insights in reflecting on the meaning of suffering. 1. The Resurrection of Jesus and the suffering He endured for our sake perfectly reveals God’s unconditional love for us. 2. Suffering is far from meaningless; it helps us move toward our eternal salvation. 3. There will be no suffering in our own resurrection. ■ Suffering is not only experienced by the unjust, and not solely the result of Original Sin. ■ God may cause suffering directly if it is for our salvation and does not interfere with our freedom. ■ Humility and trust must always be the basis of our relationship with God. As this relationship grows, it becomes more possible for us to endure suffering peacefully without understanding why it is happening. Bible Basics “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4 [W]e 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 who has been given to us. — Romans 5:3–5 Connections to the Catechism ■ CCC 402–406 ■ CCC 572 ■ CCC 601 ■ CCC 2086 © Sophia Institute for Teachers 359
Chapter 18 Aa VOCABULARY Redemption: Freedom from bondage or oppression. Christian Insights into Suffering One thing we can know for sure about suffering is that no one seems to escape it. From the discomfort of a headache to the anguish of losing a loved one, every person who has ever lived has or will experience suffering. Why? Why would an all-good and all-powerful God allow suffering to go on when He could stop it? In fact, for many in today’s world, this question is the single biggest hurdle for belief in God, even when presented with all the evidence we have covered in this course. As Christians, it is important for us to remember that God Himself endured great suffering. By reflecting on Christ’s Suffering, Death, and Resurrection, we can gain three special insights in reflecting on the meaning of suffering. 1. Suffering is completely redeemed (or made good) in the Resurrection. 2. Suffering has great meaning. 3. There will be no suffering after our own resurrection. In this chapter, we will take a closer look at these three insights into suffering as we begin to answer the question of why God would allow suffering. We will also look at common misunderstandings of why there is suffering in the world, and why they are incompatible with who God is. First Christian Insight: Suffering is Completely Redeemed in the Resurrection Jesus’ Resurrection is the crowning truth of our Faith. Without it, our hope for eternal life is meaningless. St. Paul writes in his First Letter to the Corinthians: “Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:12–14). We have many reasons to believe Jesus rose from the dead in addition to Sacred Scripture. In Chapter 7, we learned about some of this evidence, such as the testimony of the Apostles in the New Testament, along with modern historical research into the Bible. The Shroud of Turin and the Facecloth of Oviedo (see Chapter 9) as well as the phenomenon of near-death experiences (see Chapter 1) also provide convincing evidence of the Resurrection. Finally, we learned in Chapter 10 of Eucharistic miracles 360 Apologetics I: The Catholic Faith and Science © Magis Center
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