Suffering
A significant theme in Lent is suffering. We remember the suffering of Jesus on our behalf and we, like Paul, "want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3:10).
I'll begin with a question for your contemplation: “What is suffering?”
What does it mean to suffer? // Is suffering the mark of New Testament Christianity? // Are we supposed to want or avoid suffering? // Is all suffering godly? If not, how do you know the difference? // How do you reconcile what feels like suffering to us with the plight of so many in our world whose suffering is more constant and severe? Do you minimize your own context, or do you suppose that suffering is relative to context? // Did Jesus have to suffer … was there any other way?
Pending your comments, I’ll plan on writing about some of these questions in the next few days.
A LENTEN PRAYER: (taken from ELCA.org)
Jesus, who knew temptation and hunger for our sake: Free us from all covetousness, and wake us from indifference to evil. For the life of the world, we pray; Amen.
Eternal God, whose image we bear: You have created us to live by more than bread alone. Nourish us through your Word and release us from the selfishness born of fear. In Jesus' name we pray; Amen.
Christ, who wept over Jerusalem: Look with compassion upon the cities of our time; that our children might live to adulthood and enjoy a future filled with hope. In Jesus' name we pray; Amen.
God, who searches for the lost: our season brings the lengthening of days and longer light reveals what had been hidden. Cleanse our hearts as we spring-clean our dwellings, that we give away what we no longer need and justice and kindness have ample room. In the name of Jesus we pray; Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 4
I'll begin with a question for your contemplation: “What is suffering?”
What does it mean to suffer? // Is suffering the mark of New Testament Christianity? // Are we supposed to want or avoid suffering? // Is all suffering godly? If not, how do you know the difference? // How do you reconcile what feels like suffering to us with the plight of so many in our world whose suffering is more constant and severe? Do you minimize your own context, or do you suppose that suffering is relative to context? // Did Jesus have to suffer … was there any other way?
Pending your comments, I’ll plan on writing about some of these questions in the next few days.
A LENTEN PRAYER: (taken from ELCA.org)
Jesus, who knew temptation and hunger for our sake: Free us from all covetousness, and wake us from indifference to evil. For the life of the world, we pray; Amen.
Eternal God, whose image we bear: You have created us to live by more than bread alone. Nourish us through your Word and release us from the selfishness born of fear. In Jesus' name we pray; Amen.
Christ, who wept over Jerusalem: Look with compassion upon the cities of our time; that our children might live to adulthood and enjoy a future filled with hope. In Jesus' name we pray; Amen.
God, who searches for the lost: our season brings the lengthening of days and longer light reveals what had been hidden. Cleanse our hearts as we spring-clean our dwellings, that we give away what we no longer need and justice and kindness have ample room. In the name of Jesus we pray; Amen.
SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 4
posted by Will | 10:30 AM
4 Comments:
Here's my question: does suffering have to be something we actually "suffer" through?
There are lots of things that I happily endure in my current life as a Christian (like sobriety and the pursuit of sexual purity) that would have seemed like suffering when I stood on the outside looking in. Some other stuff, like the disapproval of nonbelievers is still hard to handle at times, but the suffering becomes less and less as I grow in my relationship with Jesus. Are we even talking about this kind of suffering here?
Regardless, I see two major examples from Scripture (and Hebrews in particular) that tell me that Christian suffering is often subsumed by Christian joy in something greater:
1. Hebrews 11:24-27: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
and
2. Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Does this make sense Will?
Nick, I agree that the closer we are in our relationship with Christ, and others around us, it makes the suffering less. I find myself suffering because of my own selfish nature, for example, if God took my kids away, I think I would have a hard time being close to him in that time when I really need him the most and I would suffer because I was selfish in wanting my kids still here with me and not seeing God's greater picture as to why He would take them. Jesus is the only one who had completely selfless suffering...just my thoughts.
Laura
clatterbuck--insightful and encouraging comments. Thanks.
Will, the passage you cited helped clarify something I sometimes wonder about: How does Lent not deteriorate to masochism? We share with Christ's sufferings, culminating in death, in order that we might partake of His resurrection. It’s not punishment of ourselves but mortification of our flesh. The point is not to inflict pain on ourselves but kill off those aspects of ourselves that get tangled up in this world (what Paul says in Col 3 comes to mind). I was reading something by Bonhoeffer today about how we deny ourselves (negative) in order that we can turn to Christ (positive), if we miss that positive aspect we’ve missed the point and deteriorated to self-righteous asceticism rather than Christ-following suffering. Pascal suffering isn’t suicide, it’s crucifixion.
"Pascal suffering isn’t suicide, it’s crucifixion."
Greatness. Thanks Hooley.
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