Is this a blasphemous question?

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I have been following the movement of saving children from sex trafficking and abuse. And I read something very disturbing about a little 2 year a old boy. I am a mother of 3 boys (and a girl) and the having the mental picture of this is my mind after reading what I read. ( I don’t want to burden you with the details or the graphic nature of this) Got me very upset I was sobbing while my husband held me. I asked him this possibly blasphemous question. *
I know that Jesus suffered for us and died for us but after reading that very short but graphic quote about a 2 year old I thought in my mind what can be worse than what that 2 year old baby had to endure?
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  • I felt horrible expressing that. I know that Jesus loves us all we are his children so all of the suffering in the world I’m sure it’s possible that he feels so it’s a good chance that that might be my answer. But can anyone explain further how I might differentiate, I don’t believe I am having a crisis of faith but I just thought the baby must’ve suffered so much at the hands of evil men. Any comments at all are very appreciated. I prayed a rosary after to calm myself and to pray for all abused children and babies and I ask if you could do that as well or say a prayer. Thank you.strong text
 
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Hello,

In John 10:18 Jesus says:
“No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. …”
The Catechism says CCC 609 “…Jesus freely accepted his Passion and death”

During the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said and prayed:
" 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:38-39)

The suffering of Jesus is a different type of suffering, to what you have described in the sad case of the child. Jesus was willing to obey the Father and follow his will if that meant dying on the cross. But Jesus also knew what he would achieve for the souls of the entire human race.

The suffering of that poor child is different because it is a tragic consequence of the impact of sin on the world, that poor little one did not deserve to suffer in that way or in any way it is a severe injustice, and abuse of their human dignity.
The child was not willing to suffer (nor does he have to be), but Christ was willing because of his great love for us.

That’s how I would differentiate between the two experiences of suffering.

It seems you meant no harm in making that comment, if you feel the need, have a talk with your confessor to determine if the comment you made was blasphemous.
 
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I think that Jesus’ suffering is unique for:

• the two human and divine natures of Jesus
• the fact that the tremendous physical and psychological pain was intertwined with a devastating inner experience of our sins and their consequences - for example the sense of the definitive loss of God by the sinner

In this sense, one can think that someone on the mere physical and psychological level has suffered more than Jesus.

Your question is not blasphemous.
 
@cvdream

It is a human reaction as a result of an appalling story.

As far as the question: plenty of people in history have been through worse and longer torture than crucifixion. Jesus’s Passion has long been understood to be a supernatural suffering, and far beyond any other person’s agony.

Peace.
 
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As brown_bear and TK421 said, Jesus’ suffering had a mental and supernatural component. Jesus saw and felt/ experienced in some manner the horrors of the sins of all mankind, past present and future (Including whatever horrors were done to the little boy you read about, and countless other children), and also felt/ experienced how many would reject his love and his sacrifice for them. His suffering went far beyond the physical torture. We don’t have Jesus’ supernatural capacity or his divine nature, so we can’t fully understand it.

Many humans have an emotional reaction such as yours to reading or hearing about graphic violence done to a young child. You did not commit blasphemy. However, you may want to limit your exposure to stories that upset you in the way you describe.
 
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Jesus’ sufferings had to be sufficient to atone for the sins of the whole world. This is graphically illustrated in the traditional Stations of the Cross in which He falls under the weight of the Croos, made all the heavier by our sins.
 
A) it is not in any way blasphemous.

B) there are worse things a 2 year old could suffer. To some extent, that depends on the two year old; and to some extent it depends on the circumstances.

And by no means do I intend to minimize evil.

And for whatever it is worth, it is wonderful to be concerned about sex trafficking; but you might consider reading less and praying more (not that you are not praying now; but rather, reading details about the depravity of sex traffickers is not the least helpful).

I practiced law, and part of my practice was child abuse and termination of parental rights. I rarely ever mention what I have had to deal with, as it does me no good, nor anyone else any good, except to turn their stomachs. There truly is evil in the world and sexual abuse is part of it.
 
It’s not necessary to believe that Jesus suffered more than anyone else. What matters is Why Jesus suffered or what He suffered for, and also who He was that suffered.
 
I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for replying to me. I am glad to better understand and your responses make a lot of sense as well, they really helped. I will definitely make an effort to read less of these stories and try to control what I read extensively. It is just so sad and painful to think of children being hurt in this way, I am a mother so it deeply worries me as well. I will continue to pray to end the suffering of all child victims like this in the world and I Thank you all so very much. Peace be with each one of you. 🙏
 
I remember reading the first sorrowful mystery of the rosary, and one part of it gave me a moment of realization.
He saw all the agony He was going to suffer: and the agony was not so much the pain of the crucifixion as the pains of the sins of the world. Every sin, every injustice, every infidelity He saw and felt at that very moment …
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If this is to be believed than when Christ was on the cross He felt the pain that every victim of abuse felt, all at once.
 
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Because Jesus was God, a single drop of His blood would be enough to redeem all humans who ever lived. Or so I was told.
 
Well said. I would like to add that the pain of crucifixion was so great that “torture” did not do it justice. It was literally excruciating (“out of the cross”).
 
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