Why is suffering and humiliation good things

[PelagiathePenit]

One thing of the Catholic faith that rubs me the wrong way. We should thank our oppressors or bullies for keeping us humble. Well what about them? Who gave anyone the right to lord over others? I see the good in us staying humble. Does it always have to come at such a harsh expense? Maybe I am seeing and reading this all wrong. The current greatest challenge of my faith is praying. I feel lost. I say a quick hail mary when I feel called or make the sign of the Christ. Have been in prayer as much as I should - no because well I am fearful.

 

[LethalMouse]

One thing of the Catholic faith that rubs me the wrong way. We should thank our oppressors or bullies for keeping us humble. Well what about them? Who gave anyone the right to lord over others? I see the good in us staying humble. Does it always have to come at such a harsh expense? Maybe I am seeing and reading this all wrong. The current greatest challenge of my faith is praying. I feel lost. I say a quick hail mary when I feel called or make the sign of the Christ. Have been in prayer as much as I should - no because well I am fearful.

People emphasize different things… sure there is much in the right kind of suffering but read the CCC on self defense and just war etc. Read the bible on those who were delivered from suffering and those who fought to overcome the wrongdoers. Many saints of focus are granted a bit on the suffering spectrum, but there are enough to see that rose up to not sit in the corner and cower. I think you deal with too many people not into that sort of thing… it is an issue I too have with my brethren but not with God. The God of Israel the God who commanded St. Joan of Arc, the God who gives us St. George, St. Michael, St. Christopher… He does not say that all things must be handled by huddling and cowering in a pile of cowardice.

As to prayer that is IMO more of a fear of God reaching you. You fear you will become encompassed by the idealogy of weakness and suffering. If that is not your call it will not be that which God gives you anyway. You can be prayerful and worship God without becoming weak and scrupulous. You can do greater things and become stronger and more resilient with God. You can find strength beyond that which you have ever had should you chose to dedicate yours to the glory of God.

 

[Billycourty]

I was a Tibetian Buddhist for five years before Jesus called me home and this idea of thanking your tormentors is also in the Buddhism.

Because our tormentors are the perfect mirror for us to see our faults. If everyone was nice to us we would never see. We would become vain and prideful.

Pride is hard to swallow, but the more you do, the easier it becomes.

As a Catholic, you have the added gift of the Lord there with you and knowing he suffered at the hands of others. With Buddhism its about self-mastery, the same as it is with Christianity, but with Jesus by your side.

The spiritual “higher” path is not easy to take. Not in any religion or philosophy.

Give it up to God, as it is God’s will for your benefit to suffer, and you will find such strength in self-mastery and such love for God for having shaped you into such a beautiful human being.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

I know suffering is for good. But darn it is scary. I would not mind suffering for the good of others. But suffering - like being mocked, ridiculed, humiliated seems pointless. Surely it humbles us. People commit suicide over things like constant ridicule.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

We should thank our oppressors or bullies for keeping us humble.

This concept is not taught anywhere in Catholicism.
Humility is essentially the acceptance of reality. It is not referring to an acceptance of despair as a result of oppression. Being humble means not deluding yourself with your own spin on reality.
Are you referring to the Catholic stance on redemptive suffering? For example, I am given the opportunity, by God, to share the redemptive qualities of my suffering for the benefit of others just as Christ did for all of humanity. I can offer my suffering to God as atonement for the sins of the world just as Christ did.

 

[AKDee]

I know suffering is for good. But darn it is scary. I would not mind suffering for the good of others. But suffering - like being mocked, ridiculed, humiliated seems pointless. Surely it humbles us. People commit suicide over things like constant ridicule.

I think the point of thanking God for those who humiliate us is to turn our thoughts away from our internal suffering and focus instead on God and what grace(s) He is bringing into our lives through our suffering, and also to pray for our tormentors that God might work in their lives. Obviously people like that need Jesus, just as we do. It may also serve to bring us to repentance if we ourselves have ever treated someone else poorly. I know that in my own life, I’m an extremely prideful person and I detest suffering. So I have to accept- even if I don’t currently like- when God brings suffering or humiliation to me, because I know that I need it for my spiritual growth, even if don’t like it at the time and ask God to relieve me of that cross.

 

[porthos11]

One thing of the Catholic faith that rubs me the wrong way. We should thank our oppressors or bullies for keeping us humble. Well what about them? Who gave anyone the right to lord over others? I see the good in us staying humble. Does it always have to come at such a harsh expense? Maybe I am seeing and reading this all wrong. The current greatest challenge of my faith is praying. I feel lost. I say a quick hail mary when I feel called or make the sign of the Christ. Have been in prayer as much as I should - no because well I am fearful.

That’s not Catholic.

Oppression, suffering, humiliation are all evils and are rightfully opposed and eradicated. They are not good things, and the Catholic Church does not teach otherwise.

What matters is that oppression, suffering and humiliation are part of this fallen human condition. In other words, they will happen. There’s no escaping that.

What the Church teaches is to join one’s sufferings with those of Christ, then it becomes meritorious.

I will not thank God for anyone who bullies me. God impose his justice on such a person and remove him from my life. But I will thank God for any grace he provides as a result of that negative experience, or for any good that he works out despite the evil done to me. But never for the evil itself.

 

[CrucisLucia]

One thing of the Catholic faith that rubs me the wrong way. We should thank our oppressors or bullies for keeping us humble. Well what about them? Who gave anyone the right to lord over others? I see the good in us staying humble. Does it always have to come at such a harsh expense? Maybe I am seeing and reading this all wrong. The current greatest challenge of my faith is praying. I feel lost. I say a quick hail mary when I feel called or make the sign of the Christ. Have been in prayer as much as I should - no because well I am fearful.

You interpret “suffering” and “humility” the other way. Humility can be obtained in other ways other than oppressors or bullies.

The Catholic Church has long condemned tyrants, oppressors, dictators, cruel regimes. The Catholic Church has always sided with the marginalized, the oppressed, the poor, the disadvantaged such as slaves, minorities, indigenous groups, et cetera. Even St. Thomas Aquinas said that the removal of a tyrant is to be praised and rewarded.

Nobody embodies this more in contemporary times than our current Pope Francis who called on priests to stand with the poor, outcast and the oppressed.

Suffering and persecution only becomes good when it is done for the sake of others, and for the sake of Christ and the Church. Several saints are martyred because of their Christian faith. Jesus Christ said in Matt 5:11 that persecution in His name is blessed.

 

[LethalMouse]

I know suffering is for good. But darn it is scary. I would not mind suffering for the good of others. But suffering - like being mocked, ridiculed, humiliated seems pointless. Surely it humbles us. People commit suicide over things like constant ridicule.

If you are talking about name calling, you might want to look at oneself. That is where turn the other cheek comes into play. We are not called to turn the other cheek as we are watching true abuses. But if someone calling you a doodoo head garners suffering… you have not found strength in The Lord. There are varhing degrees, but in truth what were those suicide rates before the secular world? The same generations who coddle their kids had bullies who beat them and called them names. Now suicide is from being called a poopoohead… spiritual weakness of the society all around.
Above I mentioned the successes of the power of God over the suffering. One of these is that such things will have no effect on you. Period. Mock me, ridicule me, call me names, and try to humiliate me… go ahead. For I will not suffer nor will I be humiliated. That is a difference between “suffering” and turning the other cheek. You will not suffer. It won’t matter.

If a person you value not like say a drug addict who has destroyed their life says your life is a waste because you don’t enjoy drugs… will you suffer those words? No. The same logic will unfold to all the rest. You will actually pitty the insulters… you will feel for them like you do an invalid. You will not see them as superior, but as someone in need of help.

This is where your prayer life is an issue, you must not fear God will make you weaker, but know He will make you stronger. The words of mortals meant to hurt you will be sad, laughable, and meaningless. People… love them yes, fear them? No.

 

[roseofshannon]

We aren’t called to be doormats! Allowing someone to abuse you isn’t helping them on their path to heaven.

I have had much suffering from others in my life and I truly don’t know how I could go on if I didn’t have my Catholic faith.

I read Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence every year. It’s short and you can read it online at the link. It explains the meaning of suffering better than anything else I’ve read.

Suffering always involves the grieving process afterwards, weather it’s a big loss or small. The final step of grieving is acceptance. That step is required before being able to move on.

Some of the abuse I have suffered is so difficult to process at times and I find myself reliving it and crying in the night with a broken heart. I feel like I’m stuck and will never recover sometimes. Even offering up the pain doesn’t seem to help at times. I just feel so angry and sad and bitter and…“Why? Why me???”

The only thing that allows this suffering to pass is to turn to God and tell him, “I don’t understand why you have allowed these things to pass, but I thank you. I thank you for this…and I thank you for that…because I trust in you.”

That is when I can finally feel some consolation and peace and go to sleep.

So I don’t think I would tell some person “thank you” for their abuse! But I have found healing through thanking God because it is the ultimate act of trust in His plan for my life and faith that He will bring good out of it if I continue to offer it up.

I become like a child who trust that the parent knows what they are doing when they have the doctor give them shots.

 

[Polyphony]

The current greatest challenge of my faith is praying … because well I am fearful.

You know, sometimes people are afraid that, if they get too close to God, bad things will suddenly start happening to them. Maybe I’ll get cancer or my house will burn down or I’ll have to experience grave suffering in order to be purified.

Is that kind of where you are?

 

[pianistclare]

That’s not Catholic.

Oppression, suffering, humiliation are all evils and are rightfully opposed and eradicated. They are not good things, and the Catholic Church does not teach otherwise.

What matters is that oppression, suffering and humiliation are part of this fallen human condition. In other words, they will happen. There’s no escaping that.

What the Church teaches is to join one’s sufferings with those of Christ, then it becomes meritorious.

I will not thank God for anyone who bullies me. God impose his justice on such a person and remove him from my life. But I will thank God for any grace he provides as a result of that negative experience, or for any good that he works out despite the evil done to me. But never for the evil itself.

yup. Good things can come as a result of how we deal with humiliation and persecution. What you describe OP is not Catholic.

 

[Sarcelle]

That’s not Catholic.

Oppression, suffering, humiliation are all evils and are rightfully opposed and eradicated. They are not good things, and the Catholic Church does not teach otherwise.

What matters is that oppression, suffering and humiliation are part of this fallen human condition. In other words, they will happen. There’s no escaping that.

What the Church teaches is to join one’s sufferings with those of Christ, then it becomes meritorious.

I will not thank God for anyone who bullies me. God impose his justice on such a person and remove him from my life. But I will thank God for any grace he provides as a result of that negative experience, or for any good that he works out despite the evil done to me. But never for the evil itself.

True.

If it were the case bullies and psychopaths would make up the majority of canonized saints. If I were to bully and oppress someone than I have sinned. No question about that.

We must not make the victim be grateful for whatever treatment they have received at the hands of evil people. That is just a perversion.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

You know, sometimes people are afraid that, if they get too close to God, bad things will suddenly start happening to them. Maybe I’ll get cancer or my house will burn down or I’ll have to experience grave suffering in order to be purified.

Is that kind of where you are?

Gosh this made me laugh. I think along those lines.

 

[CrucisLucia]

You know, sometimes people are afraid that, if they get too close to God, bad things will suddenly start happening to them. Maybe I’ll get cancer or my house will burn down or I’ll have to experience grave suffering in order to be purified.

Is that kind of where you are?

I don’t think like this. Bad things happen to us whether we get close to God or stray away far from Him. It is better that I get close to God and bad things happen to me, than I forget God and stray away from Him and then bad things happen to me.

At least, if bad things happen to me while I am close to God, there is a hope I can cling on, that God will give me comfort and guidance, that the Holy Spirit will light me on the path, that Jesus Christ will remove my burden, that the Virgin Mary will be a beacon of light towards me. Compared to if bad things happen to you, as a person who does not know God.

 

[Robert_Sock]

As we grow in age, our spirituality stays at a relatively steady state, neither increasing or decreasing, but then comes along suffering of various sorts which acts as a hurdles that we must jump, increasing our spirituality. Refuse to jump the hurdle, our spirituality becomes stagnant. The suffering need not be severe, and things like fasting can cause spiritual growth if we allow it. Remaining lukewarm by engaging in worldly pleasures is a curse.