REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING AND HOLINESS:
Becoming Like Christ
How To Open Yourself To Holiness And Become Like Christ
The most explicit example of Redemptive Suffering is Christ on the Cross. It is the most extreme suffering God could place on any human being for the most redemption possible - for all sins ever committed by the entire human race for all time. It is a suffering - by a man - only a God could do.
Redemptive Suffering allowed God the Son to enter into our life, willingly take on our sin, and pay Its debt. Instead of seeing our sin, God the Father sees His Son. We become wrapped up in Him. But we must ask for It. If we cannot ask because we cannot see It, or know It, then it is left to another to ask for us. We become like Jesus, and "complete the sufferings of Christ" by offering our suffering to pay for another’s sin. In offering our suffering to pay another’s sin, we embrace the sin, united to Him on the Cross, and wrap the soul of the other around our own. We offer both to God. He sees our offering of pain for another, and heals both.
By embracing their sin, Saint Mother Teresa was bringing the people of Calcutta to the Light. Jesus asks the same of us. In His call to bring His Light to the slums of India, Jesus said to her,
"Will you refuse? When there was a question of your soul I did not think of myself, but
gave Myself freely for you on the Cross. And now, what about you? Will you refuse?" 1
"Pio: Father, You love what I fear.
God: I do not love suffering itself.
Pio: I ask You for it. I desire it for the fruits it gives me. It saves souls. It frees souls
from Purgatory. Father, what is suffering?
God: Expiation. And, what is it for you?
Pio: My daily bread."2
“There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering on the Cross.”
Jesus to St. Faustina 3
"He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, to let yourself go, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely."
-St. Catherine of Sienna4
For Lent this year, offer sacrifices for those you love. They will spend Eternity thanking you.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
TEN WAYS TO KNOW GOD
(Each activity has graces from God that can be offered for another)
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1. Kolodiejchuk, Fr. Brian (Ed.) Come Be My Light. New York: Doubleday Religion, 2007.
2. Parente, Fr. Alessio (Ed.) Have A Good Day. San Giovanni Rotundo: Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 1975.
3. Michalenko, Sr. Sophia. The Life of Faustina Kowalska. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1987.
4. St. Catherine of Siena. The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena. Charlotte: Siena. Charlotte: TAN Books, 1991.
Becoming Like Christ
How To Open Yourself To Holiness And Become Like Christ
The most explicit example of Redemptive Suffering is Christ on the Cross. It is the most extreme suffering God could place on any human being for the most redemption possible - for all sins ever committed by the entire human race for all time. It is a suffering - by a man - only a God could do.
Redemptive Suffering allowed God the Son to enter into our life, willingly take on our sin, and pay Its debt. Instead of seeing our sin, God the Father sees His Son. We become wrapped up in Him. But we must ask for It. If we cannot ask because we cannot see It, or know It, then it is left to another to ask for us. We become like Jesus, and "complete the sufferings of Christ" by offering our suffering to pay for another’s sin. In offering our suffering to pay another’s sin, we embrace the sin, united to Him on the Cross, and wrap the soul of the other around our own. We offer both to God. He sees our offering of pain for another, and heals both.
By embracing their sin, Saint Mother Teresa was bringing the people of Calcutta to the Light. Jesus asks the same of us. In His call to bring His Light to the slums of India, Jesus said to her,
"Will you refuse? When there was a question of your soul I did not think of myself, but
gave Myself freely for you on the Cross. And now, what about you? Will you refuse?" 1
"Pio: Father, You love what I fear.
God: I do not love suffering itself.
Pio: I ask You for it. I desire it for the fruits it gives me. It saves souls. It frees souls
from Purgatory. Father, what is suffering?
God: Expiation. And, what is it for you?
Pio: My daily bread."2
“There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering on the Cross.”
Jesus to St. Faustina 3
"He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, to let yourself go, lose yourself on the Cross, and you will find yourself entirely."
-St. Catherine of Sienna4
For Lent this year, offer sacrifices for those you love. They will spend Eternity thanking you.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
TEN WAYS TO KNOW GOD
(Each activity has graces from God that can be offered for another)
- Read the Gospel of John (or any New Testament Book)
- Attend weekly Mass
- Say one Rosary a day
- Read one Psalm a day
- Attend Reconciliation before and after Lent
- Read a book on a spiritual subject or saint
- Pray a Novena
- Pray before the Blessed Sacrament
- Pray the Divine Mercy
- Pray the Stations of the Cross
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1. Kolodiejchuk, Fr. Brian (Ed.) Come Be My Light. New York: Doubleday Religion, 2007.
2. Parente, Fr. Alessio (Ed.) Have A Good Day. San Giovanni Rotundo: Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 1975.
3. Michalenko, Sr. Sophia. The Life of Faustina Kowalska. Cincinnati: St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1987.
4. St. Catherine of Siena. The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena. Charlotte: Siena. Charlotte: TAN Books, 1991.
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RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR PADRE PIO PRAYER GROUPS, HIS MISSION AND HIS TEACHINGS
2018
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR PADRE PIO PRAYER GROUPS, HIS MISSION AND HIS TEACHINGS
2018