tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post5855370606208556177..comments2023-10-20T05:50:34.162-05:00Comments on with devotion: Rationalizing Painkc bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-71690015319647159562008-06-19T07:50:00.000-05:002008-06-19T07:50:00.000-05:00Having gotten bits and pieces of your own story th...Having gotten bits and pieces of your own story through your blog, I believe your thoughts definitely carry some weight. I didn't hear the message you were talking about, but from your description, I would think it was just a bit trite.<BR/><BR/>It's a pet peeve of mine...I don't like it when someone minimalizes genuine suffering by offering trite answers. So I think you handled the topic with a great amount of grace--probably more than I would have. :) Thanks for this post.Wayward Sonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03473905074288264868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-542052042420510662008-06-18T15:40:00.000-05:002008-06-18T15:40:00.000-05:00That message depresses me too Leo :(What I mainly ...That message depresses me too Leo :(<BR/><BR/>What I mainly tried to communicate with this post is that you can't simply redirect your thinking and get through pain. Pain is something that needs to be processed with our hearts.. and often processed with other people.. it is why shrinks are abundant and successful.. the good ones anyway :)kc bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17440862813109808755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-77109867333301461332008-06-18T08:55:00.000-05:002008-06-18T08:55:00.000-05:00I think they go together, doorman-priest (is your ...I think they go together, doorman-priest (is your name meant to honor the great saint porters?)<BR/><BR/>If I have to suffer, then if I can remind myself that I can join that suffering to that of Christ for His Body, the Church, then my suffering isn't "wasted."<BR/><BR/>Your "Jew in 1937 Berlin" is a chilling example of quiet martyrdom. It bears meditating upon: how many of them didn't even try to hide or lie, but accepted their fate as from the hand of God?Therese Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03925404067634150968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-7014607274791185852008-06-18T02:09:00.000-05:002008-06-18T02:09:00.000-05:00I've heard (from the pulpit) "If you can't change ...I've heard (from the pulpit) "If you can't change something, change your attitude to it."<BR/><BR/>While I might want to dismiss this as more psychobabble, I think there is a spiritual aspect to this and it is worthy of more consideration.<BR/><BR/>O.K. It has its limits; if you were a Jew in 1937 Berlin....<BR/><BR/>However, I think it has application and doesn't negate anything Therese said.Doorman-Priesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06407399232593479871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-79566643570624472442008-06-17T10:54:00.000-05:002008-06-17T10:54:00.000-05:00We're not looking for comfort, are we? As in "make...We're not looking for comfort, are we? As in "make the suffering not happen?"<BR/><BR/>That's not what Scripture tells us. We can plead that our sufferings be taken away, like St. Paul, three times for him, but God tells us that His Grace is sufficient for us, for "His Power is perfected in weakness." (2 Cor)<BR/><BR/>We also want to be like St. Paul who knows that his suffering benefits others in the mystical Body of Christ (Eph 3), who "makes up in his sufferings what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His Body, the Church." (Col 1). That we are "heirs with Christ, but only if we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." (Rom 8). We have to "take up our crosses daily and come after Jesus," and if we don't, we "cannot be His disciples." (Luke 14)<BR/><BR/>There is an entire theology of suffering. We are confident through what is revealed in Scripture and by the witness of the Church throughout time that "after we have suffered, the God of all grace will restore, establish and strengthen us."<BR/><BR/>It's a terrible glory, but I trust with all my heart that God not only sends me suffering to strengthen my faith, but to bring me closer to Jesus and His Passion. <BR/><BR/>We are promised suffering. It is weak preaching to tell people to rely on "positive mental attitude" - (and they accuse ME of "works salvation?")<BR/><BR/>I'm with you on the value of companions to share the pain, and I'm aware that I brought my portable soapbox but so many influential preachers today skip over the "hard passages" of Scripture that preach only Jesus and Him crucified!Therese Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03925404067634150968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9665353.post-44452953476608094842008-06-17T02:10:00.000-05:002008-06-17T02:10:00.000-05:00I have heard "Deal with depression by giving thank...I have heard "Deal with depression by giving thanks to God for your blessings" from the pulpit.<BR/><BR/>It made me depressed."Sir"https://www.blogger.com/profile/03459619874470824848noreply@blogger.com