Suffering for sins of others?

[Jocelyn]

Don’t know if I picked the right thread for this. Anyways…

I have an dear aunt who has been blind for the past 20 years. Also, she was hit by a car when she was 5 years old. In effect, she is mostly bed ridden but can get around a little with the use of a walker. This woman is a saint on earth. She suffers terribly. She has fervent love for Christ and our Blessed Mother. Many people turn to her for prayers, and I believe her suffering has drawn many people closer to God. She takes up this cross with love in her heart.

While having a conversation with a protestant co-worker, I was speaking of my aunt and said,“She is suffering for the sins of others.” My co-worker looked at me like I was strange.
She also thinks I am strange when I say,“Offer it up.”

Is it correct to say that my aunt is suffering for the sins of others. It is a saying that my family(we are all Catholic) says. Would it be more correct to say she is suffering for the salvation of others?

Also, how do protestants look at suffering?

Thanks!
Jocelyn

 

[baltobetsy]

You could say she suffers in reparation for the sins of others, or for the salvation of others, or, as your family puts it, for the sins of others. All are accurate ways of describing your wonderful aunt.

I don’t know exactly how protestants view suffering like this. As Catholics, we understand that it is a great privilege to share in the Cross of Christ to this extent. The term, “victim soul,” might be something for you to read up on to help understand this issue.

You family is so blessed to have your aunt as an intercessor and an example!

Betsy

 

[paramedicgirl]

Jocelyn:

Don’t know if I picked the right thread for this. Anyways…

I have an dear aunt who has been blind for the past 20 years. Also, she was hit by a car when she was 5 years old. In effect, she is mostly bed ridden but can get around a little with the use of a walker. This woman is a saint on earth. She suffers terribly. She has fervent love for Christ and our Blessed Mother. Many people turn to her for prayers, and I believe her suffering has drawn many people closer to God. She takes up this cross with love in her heart.

While having a conversation with a protestant co-worker, I was speaking of my aunt and said,“She is suffering for the sins of others.” My co-worker looked at me like I was strange.
She also thinks I am strange when I say,“Offer it up.”

Is it correct to say that my aunt is suffering for the sins of others. It is a saying that my family(we are all Catholic) says. Would it be more correct to say she is suffering for the salvation of others?

Also, how do protestants look at suffering?

Thanks!
Jocelyn

Many of the saints suffered in reparation for the sins of mankind. Catholics place a high value on suffering, if we unite our suffering to the suffering of Jesus at Calvary.

My protestant sister rolls her eyes when I mention suffering. She says that Jesus suffered the ultimate for all of us, and God requires no suffering from mankind because Jesus fulfilled our salvation by His suffering. If she only knew how patient suffering pleases God!

 

[Theodora]

St. Paul wrote this *Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church. *(Col.1, 24)

My simplistic understanding of this verse is that through our suffering we can help those who belong to the Body of Christ, the Church.

I think that with much meditation on this verse we will be able to arrive to a greater depth of appreciation and understanding of what Paul is teaching here.

 

[Eileen_T]

Theodora:

St. Paul wrote this *Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church. *(Col.1, 24)