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Adelphine
Guest
If I am in pain and want to offer it up for my sins, should I refrain from taking a painkiller?
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TriciaF
Guest
Life has enough unsought difficulties and pain to offer up.
Take the painkiller if you need it.
Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Matthew 9:13
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 12:33
“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Being kind to others even when you don’t feel like it is a valuable way to expiate your sins.
Take the painkiller if you need it.
Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Matthew 9:13
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 12:33
“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Being kind to others even when you don’t feel like it is a valuable way to expiate your sins.
S
Sarcelle
Guest
It takes time for the pain killer to take effect. So take the pain killer and in the time before it takes effect, offer it up.
P
pensmama87
Guest
I offered up my labor pains for several different intentions when my third child was born. I didn’t use medical pain relief (for one thing I didn’t have the time
), but I don’t think God looked at my efforts to relieve that pain (walking, warm bath) and thought, “Well, she must not really mean it.”We are not required in any way to embrace as much pain and suffering as possible in order to “offer it up.”
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pensmama87
Guest
True!
And frequently, it doesn’t completely work. Alleviate pain, yes, but not necessarily eliminate it.
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R_H_Benson
Guest
You could offer it up for yourself or for the holy souls in purgatory. Certainly refraining from taking a pain killer would be an efficacious means of penance, but by all means know that you won’t be punished by God should you chose to take the medicine.
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bardegaulois
Guest
Suffering through pain can be a very meritorious penance and a means of exercising our priestly function by offering that pain back to God as our share of the Cross. However, we are never at fault if that pain comes to be too much for us and we seek a licit means of alleviating it. Other posters have suggested that between the time of taking the drug and its actually taking effect would generally suffice as an effective penance. That taken with the fact that no drug is completely analgesic give you plenty of opportunity both to offer your suffering, and also not to suffer unnecessarily.
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The_Apostolate
Guest
When I,AM in pain,at times I do offer it up too God for the suffering his son Jesus endured ,
but I still take pills,for my back, because if I don,t, I can,t straighten up,or if my art-rises act,s up, I take aspirins for that, but I first always bear my pain and let Jesus know I,am offering it up too him.
but I still take pills,for my back, because if I don,t, I can,t straighten up,or if my art-rises act,s up, I take aspirins for that, but I first always bear my pain and let Jesus know I,am offering it up too him.
Z
zab
Guest
Women in labor have learned that it hurts less if you work with the pain and not fight it. When you relax and focus on your breathing and work with the pain it hurts less than when you are tense and fight the pain. That is not always easy to do, to convince your mind to relax in the midst of pain. But it works! It still hurts when you work with the pain, but you can endure it more and get through it sometimes quicker than when you fight it. The same is true for offering up your sufferings. You can still take medication and do what is necessary to get some relief. But as long as you are suffering anyway, you might as well make use of it and offer it up in union with Christ’s suffering for the salvation of souls.
A
AttendeDomine
Guest
This is really a matter for a spiritual director to discuss with you.
I think that, if we’re not at a certain stage of spiritual development, we tend to do these sorts of things mostly for ourselves, and thus their merit is drastically reduced. We really have to be doing difficult things with pure intentions, and a good spiritual director can help us discern where we stand, and where our true motivations lie.
If we don’t do certain things out of a love for God, and if we do them for ourselves, we’re being just like the Pharisees. If the object of our penance is us, then our penance is worthless.
Moreover, if our spiritual director is a priest — as, IMO, they should be — he can forbid us from doing certain mortifications if he believes our intentions are wrong, thus helping us to cultivate obedience and to set aside ourselves and whatever in our spirituality is actually an expression of self-love.
So yes, I highly recommend consulting with someone.
I think that, if we’re not at a certain stage of spiritual development, we tend to do these sorts of things mostly for ourselves, and thus their merit is drastically reduced. We really have to be doing difficult things with pure intentions, and a good spiritual director can help us discern where we stand, and where our true motivations lie.
If we don’t do certain things out of a love for God, and if we do them for ourselves, we’re being just like the Pharisees. If the object of our penance is us, then our penance is worthless.
Moreover, if our spiritual director is a priest — as, IMO, they should be — he can forbid us from doing certain mortifications if he believes our intentions are wrong, thus helping us to cultivate obedience and to set aside ourselves and whatever in our spirituality is actually an expression of self-love.
So yes, I highly recommend consulting with someone.
M
Mystrx
Guest
Absolutely agreed. Take the medicine. Pray the Rosary while you wait for it to kick in if you want.
C
CB_Catholic
Guest
Continuous pain is harmful to the body, esp. if it is severe. It affects the heart rate, BP, and respirations, and one’s mental state. Chronic pain also is harmful. Offering up the pain is fine, but refusing to take pain medicine that is available and can help can harm the body,
which does not seem to be in line with Church teaching, IMO.
which does not seem to be in line with Church teaching, IMO.
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