What's a good analogy to use to explain why we should unite our suffering to Jesus?

[Harry123]

Ray Comfort is famous for his very clear analogy of how Jesus’ crucifixation on the cross gets us into Heaven. He paints a picture of a courtroom where God, the judge, pays the criminals fine for him thus enabling God to dismiss the case against the criminal and avoid sending him to prison.

I’ve been trying to think of a similar one of why (and how) Catholics should “use” their pain/suffering in life and unite these to Christ. Does anyone know of a good analogy to help make this more clear when explaining it to atheists/protestants?

 

[Sparkythedog]

Who does God pay the fine to in that example?

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

Maybe God “writes it off.”

He could, I suppose, and I think He often does. In the New Testament He was quite merciful to people who sinned. It didn’t mean that they got away with it; He told them to sin no more.

Also, in this world suffering happens whether it is united to the sufferings of Christ or not.

 

[JamalChristophr]

I believe that I heard this analogy on EWTN…

So a mom is baking a cake, her daughter would like to help bake the cake. Perhaps the mom would like the daughter to help her. The mother does not need the help of the daughter. She could easily make it herself. By allowing her daughter to help bake the cake, she has given the child the opportunity and benefit of allowing her to make a contribution.

You could transfer such an analigy to various situations obviously.

Another one I just thought of…

A boy wants a bicycle, but he has no way to pay for himself. The father recognizing the child’s desire or need, buys the bike for his son the tasks that his son pay for some amount of the cost with his own allowance. The father could easily have paid for all of it himself but requiring his son to pay for part of it has given the boy a chance to take art in buying the bike.

Hope that is helpful!

St.Paul has said in his letters to imitate him, so what did he say in Colossians 1:24?

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

 

[JamalChristophr]

If you are specifically asking for a “why” analogy, I have yet to give one. Sorry

 

[dmar198]

Ray Comfort is famous for his very clear analogy of how Jesus’ crucifixation on the cross gets us into Heaven. He paints a picture of a courtroom where God, the judge, pays the criminals fine for him thus enabling God to dismiss the case against the criminal and avoid sending him to prison.

I’ve been trying to think of a similar one of why (and how) Catholics should “use” their pain/suffering in life and unite these to Christ. Does anyone know of a good analogy to help make this more clear when explaining it to atheists/protestants?

St. Paul uses the analogy of a body: “If one member suffers, all suffer with it.” The verse is 1 Cor. 12:26, the fuller context is 1 Cor. 12:12-27. I suppose that single sentence isn’t an explanation by itself, but it does point the way toward one. The following verse, which is also an analogy about body parts, is especially instructive: “the whole body…by what every joint supplieth…maketh increase…unto the edifying of itself in charity.” Ephesians 4:16. St. John uses the analogy of a vine with its branches in John 15. Regarding this analogy, it occurs to me that water benefits the whole plant even when it is only the roots that soak it up.

Perhaps it would be helpful to start by clarifying how our sufferings can help others in a descriptive way, and then it might be easier to translate the description into an analogy. The Catholic Encyclopedia’s article on the Communion of Saints might be a good start for that.