3. The redemptive meaning of suffering in Salvifici Doloris Pope John Paul II addresses his apostolic letter Salvifici Doloris on the view of Christian meaning of human suffering. He specifies under the aspect of human suffering has salvific meaning. For the question of why do we suffer? Throughout the history the answer for this question of human suffering remained a mystery. With Adam and Eve sin and suffering entered into the world, and this evil is experienced by all human being. But now by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, human suffering takes the new dimension of redemptive meaning. Pope John Paul says, “One can say that with the Passion of Christ all human suffering has found itself in a new situation.” Therefore, to arrive at the answer for human suffering we have to look at
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This transformative meaning is born out of love. In order to understand the question of “why” with regard to suffering, we must look at the love of God through His revelation. Through the suffering of Christ, human beings discover the true meaning of their sufferings as well as for their life. Pope John Paul II says “the joy comes from the discovery of meaning of suffering.” So this joy flows from the Cross of Christ. For atheists and non-believers, suffering leads to deny the existence of God, but for Christians, the same reality of suffering helps to experience the power and nearness of God’s presence. It makes one to accept suffering as a great gift of discipline and can lead towards the greater good. This all comes from the redemptive meaning for sufferings which is given by the love of God through Christ. Hence, sufferings are not pointless or meaningless, but having complete meaning, they are the instruments of God through which man can enter and participate in the glory of
This transformative meaning is born out of love. In order to understand the question of “why” with regard to suffering, we must look at the love of God through His revelation. Through the suffering of Christ, human beings discover the true meaning of their sufferings as well as for their life. Pope John Paul II says “the joy comes from the discovery of meaning of suffering.” So this joy flows from the Cross of Christ. For atheists and non-believers, suffering leads to deny the existence of God, but for Christians, the same reality of suffering helps to experience the power and nearness of God’s presence. It makes one to accept suffering as a great gift of discipline and can lead towards the greater good. This all comes from the redemptive meaning for sufferings which is given by the love of God through Christ. Hence, sufferings are not pointless or meaningless, but having complete meaning, they are the instruments of God through which man can enter and participate in the glory of