The Christian Scientists either deny suffering, or avoid it. This is not the way of Christ or the teaching of the Church. Penances, mortifications must be accepted and for some, created, if one has a cushy life. I have a Christian Scientist friend who says he is not into this suffering thing. I used to say that, but no more.
Here is Garrigou-Lagrange on this point.
FAITH IN THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS
In the trial of which we are speaking, the soul must, therefore firmly believe in what God has told of the great efficacy of the purifying cross in the life of the Church and in its own personal spiritual life. That this faith may be practical, it must tell itself that the cross is necessary and good for it. St. Louis Bertrand, during this period of his life, used often to repeat the words of St. Augustine: "Lord, burn, cut, do not spare now, that in eternity Thou mayest spare." The soul must believe that it is good for it to be thus painfully purified, that this purification is one of the distinctive signs of the children of God, and that this profound and painful purification glorifies the Lord.
If God has not given you penances, like bad health, or poverty, or lack of love, or loss of status, you must choose penances. Those good nuns with whom I was living take on tremendous penances. No complaining in Tyburn, as all is done for the love of God...
It must be penetrated with St. Paul's words: "We have this treasure [of divine grace] in earthen vessels, that the excellency [of the Gospel] may be of the power of God, and not of us. In all things we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed; we are straitened, but are not destitute; we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we perish not: always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies." (5) "Power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (6) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?" (7) "We are the sons of God. And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him." (8)
The power of God only works through those of us who are poor, nobodies, ill, and ignored. Why? Because, obviously, then we know the power, the ideas, the completion is from God and not ourselves. Those who are completely lowly, can reflect God's power. But, the middle class especially only wants saints from their own class. They cannot deal with difference or someone who is challenging them outside their comfort zones. If a person is homeless or poor, they cannot see God in those people, as their hard hearts are not open to the call of purification. Only those who are open to the Cross in their own lives can see Christ Crucified in the lives of others.
As sanctifying grace is a participation in the divine nature and makes us like to God, habitual grace, as Christian and as coming from Christ crucified, configures us to Him and prepares us to carry our cross in imitation of Him. In this sense it adds a special modality to sanctifying grace as it was on the first day of creation in the angels and in Adam in the state of innocence. St. Thomas points this out in treating of baptismal grace.(9)
The cross is a mystery and God chooses our crosses, we do not. Sanctifying grace is the life of God, which is shared through suffering. Why? Because Christ invites us to join Him, the God-Man in His redemptive suffering. This can be a joy, if one truly enters into this suffering for the love of God.
Thus we know the mystery of the redemption in a more living, profound, and quasi-experiential manner. We then comprehend how greatly deceived were the Jews who said to our Lord: "If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (10) They should have said, on the contrary, as did the centurion on witnessing the death of our Savior: "Indeed this man was the Son of God." (11) Christ never appeared greater than during His passion, when He said: "My kingdom is not of this world." (12) "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (13) "It is consummated." (14) Christ's victory over sin and the devil on Good Friday is far greater than the victory He won over death by His resurrection. The resurrection of His body is only a sign of the power He has to restore life to souls, to forgive them their sins.
For Westerners, especially the British and the Americans, this acceptance of hardships is an almost impossible ideal to accept. We have had a comfort-seeking lifestyle for over fifty years, and the mindset is always to avoid suffering at all costs. Some of us are too poor and lowly to be able to avoid suffering, so we accept these states as graces from God. But, even the poor and lowly can curse God and die. Those are graces wasted, sadly.
The cross is thus a distinctive sign of the Christian who is configured to his Savior. Therefore, as a rule, among the signs of predestination are named: patience in adversity for the love of God, love of enemies in spite of their insults and calumnies, love of the poor, especially when personal affliction supernaturally inclines us to help them. "Because I am not unacquainted with evil things. I know how to commiserate the wretched."
Forgive, forgive, forgive and love, love, love. I pray daily for some of those is my life who have actually been like Judas and betrayed me. God forgave Judas, even though he did not forgive himself, and in his own rejection of God's love, he separated himself forever from God's eternal love. Let us forgive so that both ourselves and our enemies go to heaven.
The soul that is in the night of the spirit should, therefore, often contemplate the passion of Christ, following the example of the saints, and ask for light to have a more profound understanding of the holy humiliations of our Savior and of their infinite redemptive value.
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The soul must also recommend itself to the saints that they may intercede for it, especially those who were particularly tried in this manner, such as St. John of the Cross, St. Paul of the Cross, St. Benedict Joseph Labre, and the holy Cure of Ars.
Asking for light is essential. But, sometimes God has one walk in darkness, in order to increase Faith.
Patience is a key virtue for the passive purification of the Illuminative State. St. Benedict Labre is becoming one of my patron saints, along with St. Joseph Cupertino and St. Bernard of Clairvaux. May they help me on my way and you on your way of purification.
Modern commentaries tend to think Benedict Labre was mentally ill. No, he was radically following the mystic call to purification and union with God, but few understand this. Remember, this good saint was a lay person...
to be continued...
