Does suffering require consent to be redemptive?

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Suffering united to the cross is redemptive. Does it require consent to be redemptive? Is all human suffering redemptive? By consent, I mean not choosing to suffer, but choosing to unite it to the cross? Or to accept the suffering as God’s will.

Do children or mentally impaired persons still have redemptive suffering since they may not be able intellectually to do this? Or, is there a spiritual consent that is not a conscious decision?
 
JMJ Theresa:
Suffering united to the cross is redemptive. Does it require consent to be redemptive? Is all human suffering redemptive? By consent, I mean not choosing to suffer, but choosing to unite it to the cross? Or to accept the suffering as God’s will.

Do children or mentally impaired persons still have redemptive suffering since they may not be able intellectually to do this? Or, is there a spiritual consent that is not a conscious decision?
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I think it does have to be offered, but for those unable to do so, their loved ones can offer it for them. There’s an awful lot of suffering that goes wasted because people don’t know they can join their sufferings to those of Christ, which is a sad thought, isn’t it?
 
I don’t even understand the concept of “offering up” or “joining” suffering. Or what “redeptive” suffering is. Redeemed from what?
 
John Paul II wrote a great document on this, Salvifici doloris, “On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering”. (The title translates, “On Salvific Suffering”.
Yes, to be redemptive, suffering must be accompanied by at least virtual consent, inasmuch as it is a voluntary configuration to the Suffering Christ.
 
Consent, yes, Consent before the sufferring began, no, self-inflicated suffering, sometime (see below)

Normally we offer up the suffering that comes to us and if not great (already) in total, we add little sufferings, such as fasting and abstinence (from neutral and bad things).

We are not in general to add major sufferings and if you are undergoing major suffering, add more little sufferrings only with the consent of your Spiritual Director.

As someone who suffers with every breath, every step, most of the time sitting, not able to get out at all, very limited mobility, pain in many many places of my body, I have prayed on this often, and try to ofter all my sufferring for the good of my wife, my self, the Holy Father, those in purgatory, and the church in general.

I do fairly often meditate on uniting my sufferrings with those of Jesus’ Passion.

Consent can be given in total both retroactively to when the suffering began as well as in the future as long as it continues. It help to reknew consent periodically
God bless,
 
JMJ Theresa:
So, the suffering of young children is not redemptive?
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IMO, young children are already innocent and don’t require redemptive suffering, however, I do believe that God uses the suffering of the innocent (young children and those who are ignorant: retarded, etc.) for the redemption of those who are in need of it (sinners, purgatory, etc.)
 
There is a young lady in my area who has been in a coma since she was 3. There have been many miracles associated with her; eucharistic, healings, etc. People mail prayer requests to her family b/c they believe she intercedes for them. There have even been supposed instances where she receives a request, and shortly after having it read to her, she will exhibit the symptoms of the person’s illness she is asked for intercession from, and then there is a healing. There’s weeping statues and pictures all over the house too. They can’t p(name removed by moderator)oint what kind of oil it is, but it is a mixture of olive and something else with no known earthly origin.

Anyway, the point it, there is an example of an innocent person interceding for others through her suffering. Her example may be an obvious one, but I believe it is proof that it also happens in an unseen way through others as well.
 
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