The role of bodily suffering in the salvation of human kind
Elder Ambrose of Optina Monastery said, “We should not forget that in our age of ‘sophistication’ even little children are spiritually harmed by what they see and hear. As a result, purification is required, and this is only accomplished through bodily suffering….You must understand that Paradisal bliss is granted to no one without suffering.”
A person has salvation not only by his good deeds, but also by his patient suffering of various griefs, illnesses, misfortunes, and failures (Luke 16:19-31, Mark 8:31-38, Romans 6:3-11, Hebrews 12:1-3, and Galatians 6:14). Jesus Christ gives us the power which is needed for transformation, and prepares us to live with a strength under the most difficult conditions, preparing us for the peace that is eternal.
Heaven and Hell are a condition of relationship with God that is either theosis or perdition. The lake of fire and heaven occur within the same realm, both being not about places, but about relationship. For one who hates God such a place as in the presence of God, will be eternal suffering. The Orthodox Church teaches that Heaven and Hell are in the same realm, and that Hell is not separation from God symbolically or physically, Hell is a place chosen.
Without suffering, we can not join ourselves to the cross, and when we do take up our cross in suffering, it is with our Co-Suffering Saviour. Sickness and suffering are not given to us by a wrathful and punitive God because we have sinned, but rather allowed by this loving God who co-suffers with us. It is Western juridical misconceptions concerning sin which has tended to distort a proper recognition of suffering and its connection to sin.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Sunday August 30, 2015 / August 17, 2015
13th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone four.
Afterfeast of the Dormition.
Martyr Myron of Cyzicus (250).
Venerable Pimen, archimandrite of Ugresh (1880)
New Hieromartyr Alexis priest (1918).
New Hieromartyr Demetrius priest (1937).
Venerable Alypius the Iconographer of the Kiev Caves (1114).
Martyrs Paul and his sister Juliana of Syria (273).
Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, and Coronatus, with others at Caesarea in Bithynia (250).
Martyr Patroclus of Troyes (3rd c.) (Gaul).
Martyrs Straton, Philip, Eutychian, and Cyprian of Nicomedia (303).
“Svensk” (“of the Kiev Caves”) (1288) Icon of the Mother of God.
The Armatian Icon of the Mother of God.
Venerable Leucius, abbot of Volokolamsk (1492).
Venerable Philip, monk of Sukhonsk, Yankovsk (Vologda) (1662).
Blessed Theodoretus, enlightener of the Laps (Solovki) (1571).
Venerable Ellas of Calabria (903).
St. Jeroen, hieromartyr of Noordwijk (857) (Neth.).
New Martyr Demetrius of Samarina in Epirus (1808) (Greek).
New Hieromartyr Archilleus Sirotin.
St. Tbeli Abuseridze of Khikhuni, Adjara (13th c.) (Georgia).
Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 16:13-24
Final Exhortations
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.
15 I urge you, brethren—you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints— 16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.
17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.
Greetings and a Solemn Farewell
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 21:33-42
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”
41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Dear Abbot Trphon,
Thank you for your wise, well-written, daily blogs. I look forward to reading them. I have a few questions regarding this deep topic which many don’t understand.
Am I to understand that bodily suffering is not only a physical illness like cancer, but can be another type of suffering; i.e. misfortune, grief, failure? If so, what are good examples to share with someone?
What words can one say to someone who is convinced that they themselves are being punished by God? I run into many people who are ill and despondent, losing their faith in God, blaming Him for their present situation.
And should we pray for suffering so that we can be with God after our earthly life is over?
“A person has salvation not only by his good deeds, but also by his patient suffering of various griefs, illnesses, misfortunes, and failures…”
I presume that the “salvation” by good deeds is through the change wrought in the person by the deeds, the deeds are a kind of fruit of repentance I suppose, just as suffering changes us by confronting our attitudes and bringing repentance. I don’t think you are saying we are directly saved by good deeds, which is what the Protestants say that we teach, since theosis is fully dependent on the grace of God. Isn’t this the Orthodox teaching?
Alan,
Reading your post does remind me of the parable of the sheep and the goats. In it, The Lord blesses the Sheep because they Fed, clothed, visited and comforted others. The goats were cursed because they did none of these things for their fellow mankind. Could I not think of my suffering myself a meal be blessing my neighbor with a meal. Could I perhaps obtain a small portion of Salvation? The same can be said that I suffer by giving up some time to go visit a person in need. I view it as salvation because I am suffering, in some miniscule way, to care for someone that is suffering, by neglecting myself so that they may not go without. I feel as though this is ‘good dead’ is a labour of love that will not be forgotten, either by my brother or my Lord Jesus Christ. If I can also realise that “man does not live by bread alone” seeking out “good deeds” can be also feeding the part of my soul that needs sustenance as well. I don’t see any deeds that I can do for God to see as Good, but certainly my fellow man could see that by helping someone I have done a good need. Nothing I do for God could compare to the warm belly and comforted spirit that I have given to my brother.
Dear Abbot Tryphon,
Father Bless! Thank you so much for this! It is very succinct and just what I need to explain the Orthodox understanding of hell.
* kissing your right hand *