Redemptive Suffering - Short Video

What the Saints Have to Say About - Suffering

I shall remind myself of the labors He undertook in preaching, of his weariness while traveling, of the temptations He suffered while fasting, of his vigils while praying, and of the tears He shed out of compassion. I will remember, moreover, his sorrows, and the insults, spittle, blows, ridicule, rebukes, nails, and all the rest that rained down upon Him in abundance.

- St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Say always, 'My beloved and despised Redeemer, how sweet it is to suffer for you.'

- St. Alphonsus Liguori

I have had crosses in plenty-more than I could carry, almost. I set myself to ask for the love of crosses-then I was happy.

- St. John Vianney

The temple of the spirit is raised through work and suffering; and I would add that suffering counts for more than work.

- St. Anthony Mary Claret

Many people would be ready to accept suffering so long as they were not inconvenienced by it. "I wouldn't be bothered by poverty," says one, "If it didn't keep me from helping my friends, educating my children, and living respectably." "It wouldn't bother me," says another, "So long as people didn't think it was my own fault." Or another would be willing to suffer evil lies told about him as long as no one believed his detractors.

- St. Francis de Sales.

An unpitied pain wins greater merit before God. Never say to God: "Enough"; simply say, "I am ready!"

- Blessed Sebastian Valfre

Try to resemble that holy soul who wouldn't give up the least part of her sufferings so as not to lose the merit thereof.

- St. Joseph Cafasso

Suffering is a short pain and a long joy.

- Blessed Henry Suso

When it is all over, you will not regret having suffered; rather you will regret having suffered so little and suffered that little so badly.

- Blessed Sebastian Valfre

To suffer much, yet badly, is to suffer like reprobates. To suffer much, even bravely, but for a wicked cause, is to suffer as a martyr of the devil. To suffer much or little for the sake of God is like to suffer like saints.

- St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort

What I suffered is known only to One for whose love and in whose cause it is pleasing and glorious to suffer.

- St. Isaac Jogues

From Wisdom of the Saints - Jill Haak Adels

Saintly Quotes - Suffering and the Cross

Picture used with permission by Aida Yared

Thanks Sue C. for sharing the following:

Christ made me understand that I could save souls through the cross. The greater the crosses I encountered, the more ardent became my desire to endure them.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

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God has made human beings so noble that every suffering which purifies us and every effort which raises us up gladdens us while making us better.

St. Augustine

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Let us understand that God is a physician, and that suffering is a
medicine for salvation, not a punishment for damnation.

St. Augustine

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When you are scorned by others and lashed by God, do not despair. God lashes us in this life to shield us from the eternal lash in the next.

St. Peter Damian

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The desire to receive God's treasures and favors is universal. But how few people aspire to wear themselves out and to suffer for the Son of God!

St. John of the Cross

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If we suffer with Christ, we will be glorified with Him. The fulfillment of the promised happiness is certain for those who share in the Lord's Passion.

St. Leo the Great

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Let us strive to face suffering with Christian courage. Then all difficulties will vanish and pain itself will become transformed into joy.

St. Theresa of Avila

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Such is the nature of faith that the greater are the obstacles it encounters, the more ardent it becomes.

St. Charles Borromeo

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Do not allow yourselves to be overly saddened by the unfortunate accidents of this world. You are not aware of the benefits they bring and by what secret judgment of God they are arranged for the eternal joy of the Elect.

St. John of the Cross

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The smallest of life's events are directed by the Lord. Creatures are instruments, but it is the hand of Jesus that directs all.

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

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The Eucharist may be termed a perpetual Calvary. Without it how many times God's wrath would have erupted on our heads!

St. Peter Eymard

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Suffering out of love for God is a signal favor, but we do not realize this. For we thank God for prosperity and take no heed that afflictions would be a much greater grace.

St. Joseph of Cupertino

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The cross is the greatest gift God could bestow on His Elect on earth. There is nothing so necessary, so beneficial, so sweet, or so glorious as to suffer something for Jesus. If you suffer as you ought, the cross will become a precious yoke that Jesus will carry with you.

St. Louis de Montfort

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Suffering is like a kiss that Jesus hanging from the cross bestows on persons whom He loves in a special way. Because of this love He wants to associate them in the work of the redemption.

St. Bonaventure

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Let us lose nothing of what God bestows on us. Difficulties and sufferings will disappear, but the merit we acquire through our fidelity will remain forever. Let us therefore build our eternity through all the things that pass away.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

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To suffer and not to suffer for God is torment.

St. Gerard Majella

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During mental prayer it is well, at times, to imagine that many insults and injuries are being heaped upon us, that misfortunes have befallen us, and then strive to train our heart to forgive and bear these things patiently, in imitation of our Savior. This is the way to acquire a strong spirit.

St. Philip Neri

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Remember how the crown was attained by those whose sufferings gave new radiance to their faith. The whole company of saints bears witness to the unfailing truth that without genuine effort no one wins the crown.

St. Thomas Becket

Suffering - Don't Waste it

The following is from the new Mother Angelica book Little Book of Life Lessons and everyday Spirituality edited by Raymond Arroyo and available at EWTN

No one understands suffering like I think Mother Angelica. She suffered early in life either physically, mentally or emotionally. Yet, she always united her sufferings with that of her beloved Christ. The following is from Chapter 7 of her book: The Power and Meaning of Pain and Suffering:

1. Create great holiness and become a powerful witness to those around you.

2. By accepting your pain you are doing God's Will in an awesome way.

3. By offering your pain to God, you can save souls.

God is trusting you with pain; He is trusting you to accept it with love.

There are three types of suffering according to Mother Angelica:

1. Preventive Suffering - Where God uses suffering as a way to prevent us from "committing sin or making errors in judgment or becoming to worldly or proud".

2. Corrective Suffering - The sufferings incurred by our disobedience can be used to purify the very weaknesses that produced the sin in the first place.

3. Repentant Suffering - This kind of suffering "cleanses our souls and brings down upon us the compassion of God and enables us to begin anew".

Saintly Advice - Sufferings

Mahalo Sue.

"Take advantage of your sufferings and more so of the small ones than of the great. God considers not so much what we suffer as how we suffer. To suffer much, yet badly, is to suffer like reprobates. To suffer much, even bravely, but for a wicked cause, is to suffer as a martyr of the devil. To suffer much or little for the sake of God is to suffer like saints".

"If it be right to say that we can choose our crosses, this is particularly true of the little and obscure ones as compared with the huge, conspicuous ones,for proud human nature would likely ask and seek for the huge, conspicuous crosses even to the point of preferring them and embracing them. But to choose small, unnoticeable crosses and to carry them cheerfully requires the power of a special grace and unshakable fidelity to God. Do then as the storekeeper does with his merchandise: make a profit on every article; suffer not the loss of the tiniest fragment of the true Cross.

It may be only the sting of a fly or the point of a pin that annoys you, it may be the little restlessness of soul, a slight physical weakness, a light pain in your limbs. Make a profit on every article as the grocer does, and you will soon become wealthy in God, as the grocer does in money, by adding penny to penny in his till. When you meet with the least contradiction, simply say: 'Blessed be God! My God I thank you.'

Then treasure up in the till of God's memory the cross which has just
given you profit. Think no more of it, except to say: 'Many thanks!'
or, 'Be merciful!'

-St. Louis De Montfort

Redemptive Suffering

Tito over at CUSTOS FIDEI has an interesting and thought provoking post and reminder on redemptive suffering and the tragedy that occurred on Monday.

..."In layman's terms, when we suffer, we can offer up our suffering to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Ergo, we have the opportunity to redeem ourselves through our suffering! Hence the term redemptive suffering.

Why or how do you say this is possible? Because He died for our sins! Because He conquered death when He rose again! Jesus went to the Cross as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of man. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb for mans sins. Before Christ His chosen people would slaughter lambs or other animals to redeem themselves for their sins to God on an altar. When Jesus went to Golgotha, the place of the skull, He became the ultimate sacrifice for all of mans sins. There can be no greater sacrifice than this! That is why the Eucharist is the centerpiece of the Mass..."

It is hard for me to tell someone to "offer it up" when I have not experienced the anguish or pain that the victims and their families at Virginia Tech have. However, as Catholic Christians, we should always have it in the forefront of our minds and hearts to never waste our sufferings. For to do so, would make our sufferings all for naught.

Why God Allows Suffering

Today my son and I were discussing whether or not God blesses people who don't believe in Him. He made the observation that there are people with lots of money and other material wealth that are not practicing their faith or have any faith at all, yet they seem happy. That let to a discussion on why some people who love God so much, also suffer so much. Well, I found the following in my files. It was originally shared by Sue.

Source: Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament

John of God - Three Reasons why God allows SUFFERING

Copyright, Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament

Meditation on Psalm 119 SUFFERING


Suffering, like fire-tried gold, transforms us into the Heart of Christ. God never intended nor wanted man to suffer. Man fell through disobedience from the paradise God created. Christ's sufferings on the cross give our sufferings value, purpose, and meaning until the day when paradise is restored.


We unite our sufferings now, no matter how great or small, to Jesus truly present before us in the Blessed Sacrament. He takes them and offers them to His Heavenly Father in union with those He suffered for us on Calvary. He purifies them with His Blood and gives them unspeakable beauty by offering them with the love with which He endured His Passion.


God uses sufferings for three purposes. One is to purify us from self-love, ego, and pride so that our disposition may always be that of the psalmist: "I bind myself to do Your Will." The freedom of heart is given when we "run the way" of God's Holy Will. Otherwise we are enslaved by our own selfishness.


Just before he died, Bishop Sheen was asked by a television reporter what the difference was between the young Father Fulton Sheen, just ordained, and the eighty-year-old Bishop with whom he was talking. The answer was "wisdom acquired through suffering."


The second purpose of suffering is that it creates a compassionate heart. Through suffering, one becomes sensitive to the cries and needs of others.


The third purpose is that it has a redemptive value when we accept it and offer it to God in union with the Passion of our Lord. The Will of God is that all His children be saved. For this end, He allows human suffering in order that one man may merit necessary graces for another who otherwise would be lost. Like St. Paul, through our suffering we make up for what is wanting in the Mystical Body of Christ.


The word that revives us is the Person of Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, continuing His saving mysteries in the Blessed Sacrament.


The threefold purpose of suffering therefore is: purification of self, creates a compassionate heart and is redemptive in that it causes propitiation for sins in union with Christ's passion and thereby enables another soul to gain the graces necessary for salvation - purification, compassion, salvation.


Psalm 119:25-32


Keep me from the way of error and teach me Your law.


I have chosen the way of truth with Your decrees before me.


I bind myself to do Your Will; Lord, do not disappoint me.


I will run the way of Your commands; You give freedom to my heart.


My soul lies in the dust; by Your word revive me.


I declared my ways and You answered me; teach me Your statues.


Make me grasp the way of Your precepts and I will muse on Your wonders.


My soul pines away with grief; by Your word raise me up.