Our suffering becomes redemptive when we unite it with Christ's suffering on the cross
"Unite yourselves spiritually to the Crucified Christ..." says Pope Benedict. As we unite our suffering to His suffering on His way to Golgotha, gloriously and mystically, we participate in the redemption His suffering merited.
Deanna Aikman, ill with Lou Gehrig's Disease, testifies: "It is Christ who gives our suffering meaning." For this reason, we can even rejoice in our suffering; as St. Paul exclaimed, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Colossians 1:24 [RSV]).
For, as we unite ourselves spiritually to Him in His suffering, God graciously allows us to participate in His affliction on behalf of His body, the Church. Our suffering, thereby, becomes redemptive. In this, I find great comfort.
Jesus’ cross helps us understand suffering, Pope tells young hospital patientsVatican City, Oct. 26, 2005 (
CNA) - Following today’s General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict addressed a group of children from the "Citta di Speranza" (City of Hope) hospital in Padua, Italy, telling them encouragingly, that, Christ’s cross “helps us to understand the true meaning of suffering and pain.”
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Hiding in the wounds of Christ
Fr. Tom Connolly in his Sunday 18th April 2004, "Message from a Parish Priest" acquaints us with this beautiful meditation from the pre-Reformation Church:
...The Sacred Wounds was the object of great and tender devotion in the pre-Reformation Church. Folk would carry with them–-printed on linen cloths, the five wounds and pray before them. Saints would talk of “hiding” in the wounds of Christ. They were marks of his tremendous love and the cost he bore to make up for our offences. The price paid for us was paid not in silver and gold but in the blood of that precious and spotless lamb-–Jesus Christ. The Hymn “Soul of my Saviour” prays: “Wash me with water flowing from thy side” and “deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me.” That hymn was written by Pope John 22nd (1249 – 1334).
Religious belief can have a positive effect on bodily health
The body and mind are inextricably linked. And prayer helps to keep one healthy:Religion's Impact on Bodily Health
Some, But Not All, Studies See Positive Effects
NEW YORK, OCT. 29, 2005 (
Zenit.org).- Religious belief may not only be good for our spiritual health; it may also bring positive effects for the body. With certain regularity, studies appear on the scene indicating that prayer or regular participation in religious services can assist believers' health.
Not everyone agrees with such studies. Some researchers point to methodological failures in various studies that purport to show a correlation between religion and health benefits. Even the studies themselves warn that it is hard to pinpoint the precise relationship between the two.
Still, the number of reports showing positive effects is substantial. On June 9 the Web site Science and Theology News reported that Canadian and Israeli researchers found that religious practice may slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease.
"We learned that Alzheimer's patients with higher levels of spirituality or higher levels of religiosity may have a significantly slower progression of cognitive decline," said the author of the study, Dr. Yakir Kaufman, director of neurology at Sarah Herzog Memorial Hospital in Jerusalem.
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Fr. Amorth, an exorcist, speaks about the devil
Mother of All PeoplesThe Reality of Satan and the Victory of Jesus and Mary
Written by Fr. Gabriele Amorth
Saturday, 29 October 2005
The devil is one of God's creatures. We cannot talk about him and about exorcisms without first stating some basic facts about God's plan for creation. We will not say anything new, but we might present a new perspective.
All too often we have the wrong concept of creation, and we take for granted the following wrong sequence of events. We believe that one day God created the angels; that he put them to the test, although we are not sure which test; and that as a result we have the division among angels and demons. The angels were rewarded with heaven, and the demons were punished with hell. Then we believe that on another day God created the universe, the minerals, the plants, the animals, and, in the end, man. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve obeyed Satan and disobeyed God; thus they sinned. At this point, to save mankind, God decided to send his Son.
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From priest who battled Satan comes remedy: Go to Confession, pray; renounce sin and occult
Western Catholic Reporter
Week of October 31, 2005
Priest battled with Satan
Ottawa-area cleric helped the possessed find deliverance from demonic oppression
By DEBORAH GYAPONG
Canadian Catholic News
Ottawa
While not every person who dabbles in the occult ends up spiritually obsessed, even a trip to a fortune teller can open one up to demonic oppression, says an Ottawa area priest.
He believes because he has helped people find deliverance from demonic obsession and harassment.
"You're simply asking for trouble," says the priest. "What are you doing? You're looking for knowledge or power from a source other than God. You've invited stuff in."
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Suffering is redemptive when united to the suffering Christ
The Lord calls us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. He leads us inevitably to Golgotha...But, we know that our suffering is redemptive when united to His, as the Pope reminded hospitalized children following today's General Audience:
Jesus’ cross helps us understand suffering, Pope tells young hospital patients
Vatican City, Oct. 26, 2005 (
CNA) - Following today’s General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict addressed a group of children from the "Citta di Speranza" (City of Hope) hospital in Padua, Italy, telling them encouragingly, that, Christ’s cross “helps us to understand the true meaning of suffering and pain.”
The Pope told the young people that, "As we heard during the catechesis, the cross of Christ brings us to understand the true meaning of suffering and pain. Unite yourselves spiritually to the Crucified Christ, and abandon yourselves in the hands of Mary, constantly invoking her in the Rosary."
According to the Vatican, the hospital came into being in 1994 with the dual aim of building a new department of pediatric onco-hematology, which was inaugurated two years later, and to support research into childhood cancer.
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Is 3 a.m. an hour with special spiritual significance?
Spirit Dailyby Michael H. Brown
FROM THE MAILBAG: VIEWERS WEIGH IN ON EXPERIENCES THAT OCCUR AT THREE A.M.
It is intriguing, this notion that three a.m. bears special spiritual significance.
We've been reporting about it for years. It spans nations, religions, and the cultural milieu -- with even secular movies working it into their themes.
Most recent was The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which has many of the chilling events happening at this switching (or should would say "witching") hour?
Our review of the movie led to a deluge of e-mail from those who claim their own experiences.
Is it a time when the "veil" is especially thin? Is it an evil hour? Or a combination?
"I got goose bumps when you mentioned three a.m.," wrote John O'Brien of Lake St. Louis, Missouri. "I can't tell you how many times -- hundreds -- I have awakened at precisely three a.m. I have always assumed someone needed prayers. I had no idea it was a common thing."
Common indeed. In devotional circles, rampant. Does Jesus, does the Blessed Mother, rally forces at this time that is also an active hour for witches (the end of their midnight-to-three ceremonies)?
"On one occasion, just recently, I was dreaming that I was being followed by something evil, there was chaos and destruction all around," reports another reader, Caroline Jarzabek of Toronto. "I was trying to get away but I had that dreaded feeling that this entity was getting closer and closer, a deep fear crept in. Just then in the distance I could hear a group of people (maybe angels), praying the Rosary. I immediately joined in and there was instant peace. I woke up and you guessed it -- it was three a.m."
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