Posted on 01/06/2016 9:15:48 AM PST by CharlesOConnell
Paul writes in Colossians 1, 'Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church'.
How can Paul say that, if Christ's sufferings on the cross were infinitely meritorious?
How can we make up for some supposed lack in Christ's suffering?
When a Daddy is working in the garage, his little boy watching, asks, 'Can I help?', the Daddy doesn't say, 'NO, get out of here, you can't help', he lets the little boy help.
The Daddy doesn't beget his fatherhood to his little human son the way The Eternal Father begets His Godhood to The Son in the eternal timelessness.
But the Daddy imitates God the Father in the Trinity, and silent Joseph in the Family of Nazareth. By cooperating with God in his making the little boy in His Image, the Daddy gives a tiny bit of his manliness to the little boy.
So Jesus, in His infinitely meritorious sacrifice, doesn't diminish Himself as God in any way, by leaving a little place on the cross for us to offer our sufferings.
This is called redemptive suffering.
Much as we love our Muslim brothers and sisters, we know that God Who doesn't need us, infinitely happy in Himself but Who made us out of nothing out of pure Love, isn't diminished in the slightest by offering us this little participation in His singular work of salvation.
The angels are astonished at this offer, in which, despite all their might, perfection and beauty, they have no share.
'Jesus, Lamb Who is slain before the foundation of the world, please take my insignificant little sufferings and voluntary sacrifices, of no merit without You, and please apply the infinite merits of your eternal sacrifice to them, and so, without my deserving it, allow me a share in Your work of salvation.'
I start a retreat today. Consoling the Heart of Jesus.
Good article.
What is missing in the sufferings of Christ is our engagement with them.
Very nice! This is a topic which has far too little press, nowadays... especially now, when there’s so much suffering which is available for offering up.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen once wrote a wonderful article on this issue entitled “Wasted Suffering” (available on the internet); it’s a great read!
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