In today's readings, why did the apostles rejoice after being beaten?

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Mermaid1986

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It could be that I am too fuzzy-headed from being up too early to get this. But I’ve always struggled with understanding rejoicing in suffering. I know that we are told that we will suffer in this life. But here are my questions:

1.) Sometimes we suffer and sometimes (most of the time, if we are blessed/lucky), we don’t. God loves us equally whether we are suffering or not. Why would we rejoice in our suffering, rather than rejoicing in our peace?
2.) Why did the apostles rejoice in their beating? What merit do we gain from suffering for Christ, and why? Didn’t Christ suffer for our sakes, for our sins, on the cross, instead of us?
3.) What does it mean to “unite our suffering” with Christ or “offer it up”? I am Catholic but I don’t understand this, and I only ever hear Catholics say this. Some say they unite their suffering to Christ for the salvation of the world. Isn’t salvation already fully accomplished – without (in spite!) of us on the cross?

Thanks everyone! God bless you all!
 
Well, the Lord did promise His followers suffering in this world for following His word.
I think they rejoiced in that they were following the Master in being persecuted for holiness sake.

I could learn from this because I have never learned to rejoice in suffering. I’m still in the stage of struggling to trust from my heart when suffering comes (I believe in my head and give intellectual assent, but when suffering comes my heart starts to howl…)
 
It showed that people in authority took them seriously enough to regard them as a threat.

If they had been ignored or laughed at, it would have shown that their teachings were irrelevant
 
Thanks, I will research redemptive suffering. Is this a purely Catholic stream of theology, or do other Christian denominations follow it as well?
 
I get where you’re coming from. I was born and raised Catholic but was away from the church for several years due to the good-intentions of some born-again friends. And of course due to my own lack of knowledge of the beauty and truth of my own faith. Thankfully I am back now and never want to leave! 🙂
 
There is much that we can talk about this subject - rejoice on suffering. I just want to point this out - St Paul said that everything will work out for good for those who love him and called to his purpose. Suffering is part of our lives. We rejoice because we believe God is there for us - in our happiness and in our suffering. Ultimately these will be for our good. In these things, it will work out for our good. These things like sickness, death, hunger, persecution, etc. It is therefore in suffering that we get what is good for us.

Another point is from Job. If we can be thankful for the blessing, which we received, then why can we be thankful for the suffering? After all, naked we came into this world, and naked we will go.

God bless.
 
A few biblical references for your consideration:
In Matthew 10:22 and Mark 13:13 we’re told to endure suffering for our salvation.
In John 15:20 we are told that if they persecuted the Master, they’ll persecute the servant.
In Luke 6:22-23 we’re told to be glad for our reward will be great in heaven.
 
It is redemptive suffering because it is united to Jesus’ redemptive suffering, for the good of the world. Jesus promised his disciples that they would be persecuted, just as he was. The closer people become to God, the more they embrace suffering, through the strength and fortitude of the Holy Spirit. It is true that very often people who have experienced some type of suffering see that it has actually been a very good thing in their lives, leading them, for example, to cherish life more fully or grow spiritually. Many saints have stated that if we really knew the extreme value of suffering we would never complain about it and, in fact, welcome it.
 
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