Vatican calls rector of Peru’s Pontifical University to Rome.
Archive | February 15, 2012
ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING OF HUMAN SUFFERING – SALVIFICI DOLORIS
“How to Make Sense Out of Suffering” is the existential question, all of us have, at one time or another, grappled with.
And, God – if we let Him – helps us to become at peace with ourself & our community, after we have Confessed our sins.
The “thank you, Jesus”. I am taught to pray when suffering is okay. However, I would be lying, if I said I never get upset by profound sufferings, and end up like Job asking, “Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?”
It’s okay. God has big shoulders to cry on and a big chest to bury your head upon and just having a huge existential and sometimes cozy moment with Him.
Yet, there are times, in your life were the Silence of God seems so “real” when it is “really you” not Him, who is disquieted. a
And, during these times – you may have not even been speaking to Him – in regular prayer, because you are so mad at Him. Or worse, you have prayed a lot, but God seems so far away when you speak to Him.
(That’s ok. Keep talking to him & going to regular Sacraments, to keep on the right road.)
That is when you have pulled away and He let’s you fall, or worse someone else has pushed you down, in your life, and you forgot, to forget yourself, brush off and pick up your cross, and keep going.
There are those Cross that are the heaviest, that if you ever make it through them, you seen interiorly compelled to share that journey, with others.
But, if you have already read the Old Testament Book of the Bible “Job” and still have those timeless questions about ” Why does a good God allow such human suffering – then this Apostolic Letter called in Latin, “SALVIFICI DOLORIS” or in English “ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING
OF HUMAN SUFFERING,” may help you.
*******************************************
Now, I present to you, for your own study the Catholic Intellect Thoughts of Blessed, Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter. He can speak to this better, than I can.
*******************************************
APOSTOLIC LETTER
“SALVIFICI DOLORIS”
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II
TO THE BISHOPS, TO THE PRIESTS,
TO THE RELIGIOUS FAMILIES
AND TO THE FAITHFUL
OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE CHRISTIAN MEANING
OF HUMAN SUFFERING
Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I
INTRODUCTION
1. Declaring the power of salvific suffering, the Apostle Paul says: “In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church”(1).
Mass Readings – Feb. 15th.
Wednesday 15 February 2012
Wednesday of week 6 of the year
Readings at Mass
________
First reading
James 1:19-27
Remember this, my dear brothers: be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to rouse your temper; God’s righteousness is never served by man’s anger; so do away with all the impurities and bad habits that are still left in you – accept and submit to the word which has been planted in you and can save your souls. But you must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. To listen to the word and not obey is like looking at your own features in a mirror and then, after a quick look, going off and immediately forgetting what you looked like. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does.
Nobody must imagine that he is religious while he still goes on deceiving himself and not keeping control over his tongue; anyone who does this has the wrong idea of religion. Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows when they need it, and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.
________
Psalm
Psalm 14:2-5
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever.
The just will live in the presence of the Lord.
________
Gospel Acclamation
Ps118:105
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your word is a lamp for my steps
and a light for my path.
Alleluia!
Or
cf.Ep1:17,18
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
________
Gospel
Mark 8:22-26
Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man whom they begged him to touch. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man, who was beginning to see, replied, ‘I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about.’ Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly. And Jesus sent him home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’
Quoted from: http://www.Universalis.com
