I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his Body, which is the Church.
It would seem like heresy to say that the suffering of Christ was somehow “lacking”. And yet, St. Paul says it in know uncertain terms. But what does he mean?
As Christians, we believe that Christ suffered and died for the salvation of all. But the salvation of each of us is a two step process. We must be incorporated into the Passion, Death and Ressurection of Jesus Christ. This is achieved sacramenally through baptism but in the mystery of God human suffering also unites us to Christ.
On the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1984, St. John Paul issued an encyclical on the meaning of human suffering called Salvifici Dolores
Salvifici Dolores . In it he addresses the challenges we face when confronted with the experience of suffering and how we can reconcile the existence of suffering with our belief in a God who is Love.In a world where we want all through to come in less than 2 minutes, the letter can seem long. But complex questions require thoughtful responses. The words of St. John Paul are made even more powerful because as they say, he not only talked the talk but he walked the walk. He showed any of us who have ever had to deals with chronic pain how to unite it to the suffering of Christ and transform it into a source of strength and a font of God’s grace. When he wrote these words in 1984, no one would have imagined that the athletic pope would become the pope who struggled to raise his head or speak. And yet, he continued the work of Jesus.
Both his words and example should give us the courage to repeat the words of St. Paul when we are confronted with suffering in any of its forms.
