Thursday 22 March 2007

E-pilgrimage on suffering

The redemptive dimension of suffering is the subject of this month's WYD e-pilgrimage. This is always a question which comes up when talking to people, and especially young people. We really need to meditate the place of suffering in God's plan of salvation if we are to be able to answer the deep questions about human existence which people have.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Fr Julian,

Can't bring myself to click on it. Don't we just 'fear' suffering? i know all about its value & all that, but humanly speaking it can be terrifying...might do me good to have a look..

God bless

Fr Julian Green said...

The fear of suffering is the worst part of it. Fear is the most crippling of all our ills. The pain itself is something we can support, if we can take away the fear and replace it with trust. It reminds me of what Fr Fleming said to the priests of the Diocese: that all of those who ask for euthanasia in hospices - in his personal experience - once they are told they are valued, that they won't be left alone, and that they are not a burden, and that they are loved, then no longer want to resort to euthanasia. Often the worst fear is of carrying the suffering alone.