Catholic view of suffering.

Father Tucker of Dappled Things has a Catholic theology of suffering in a nutshell:

This is what St Paul is getting at in that fascinating line from the first chapter of his Epistle to the Colossians, that he in his own flesh is making up “what is lacking” in the sufferings of Christ, and that he, Paul, is doing it on behalf of Christ’s Body, the Church. In the absolute sense, Christ’s sufferings are all-sufficient and lacking in nothing. But, of course, St Paul is no heretic. In regard to individuals whose hearts are somewhat (or completely) hardened, those infinite graces do not have an infinite effect. As I begin to suffer for Christ’s sake, my hard heart is softened so that Christ’s Passion can be more perfectly fruitful within me. And we can offer up our prayerful sufferings for the good of others, as well, “for his body’s sake, which is the church.” This Scriptural notion of participating in Christ’s own suffering is what is behind otherwise confusing Catholic ideas like co-redemption and intercession.

Read Father’s entire article including scripture quotations here.

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