杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

In the face of suffering and pain, human beings can either withdraw within themselves 鈥渢o the point of despair or rebellion,鈥� or welcome it 鈥渁s an opportunity for growth and discernment of what really matters in life, to the point of an encounter with God.鈥�

The latter, 杏MAP导航 Francis said on Thursday, 鈥渋s the vision of faith we find in Sacred Scripture.鈥�

The Holy Father made his remarks during an Audience with members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, which has been studying the theme of 鈥渟ickness and suffering in the Bible.鈥�

Jesus' healings a sign of God's closeness

The 杏MAP导航 noted that in the Old Testament, those who suffer constantly turn to God in their affliction, while in the New Testament, Jesus鈥� ministry is marked by a profound concern for the sick and suffering, revealing God鈥檚 鈥渓ove, forgiveness, and search for sinful, lost, and wounded humankind.鈥�

The many miraculous healings Jesus performs are a sign that 鈥淕od has visited His people and that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,鈥� said 杏MAP导航 Francis, explaining that Jesus' identification with the weak culminates in His passion and death, 鈥渟o that the Cross of Christ becomes the pre-eminent sign of God鈥檚 solidarity with us and, at the same time, the possibility for us to join Him in the work of salvation.鈥�

Neither utopian nor fatalistic

The Holy Father said that the Biblical view of suffering is neither 鈥渂anal and utopian鈥� nor 鈥渇atalistic.鈥� Instead, 鈥渢he biblical man feels invited to face the universal condition of pain as a place of encounter with the closeness and compassion of God, the good Father, Who, with infinite mercy, takes charge of His wounded creatures to heal them, raise them up, and save them.鈥�

In Christ, he continued, 鈥渆ven suffering is transformed into love,鈥� with the hope of ultimate resurrection and salvation.

Human and Christian solidarity 

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, suffering teaches us to live human and Christian solidarity according to the 鈥渟tyle鈥� of God: closeness, compassion, and tenderness.鈥� Recalling the parable of the Good Samaritan, he reminded his hearers that caring for others in their pain is not an 鈥渙ptional choice鈥� for human beings, but an 鈥渋ndispensable condition鈥� not only for their growth as an individual but also for 鈥渢he construction of an inclusive society that is truly oriented towards the common good.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 concluded his message with his personal thanks and encouragement to the scholars of the Commission for their work, while reminding them that their work will continue to grow 鈥渢he more you come to know how to personally embrace the mystery of the Incarnation in your life of faith.鈥�