In Atonement for Our Sins and Those of the Whole World: Offering Suffering as Reparation for the Misuse of Free Will
One of the quintessential human questions is: why is there pain in the world and what is its purpose? In the context of a Judeo-Christian perspective, the query takes on another layer: why would a good God allow His creatures to suffer such discomfort and evil? When we pass through times of difficulty, it can be easy to let these questions swarm in our head. At times, it may seem that God has abandoned us, and instead, shone His favor and blessing on others, who’s lives appear outwardly pleasant. However, it is important to remember that everyone will encounter struggles in their life, though some earlier than others. Nonetheless, it is these times of suffering that can be redemptive, if they are accepted and offered as reparations for the misuse of free will in our own lives and in the lives of others.
The answer to these fundamental questions regarding “the problem of pain” lies in our free will. In His generous and total love for humanity, God has given us the ability to live in whatever way we so desire. That includes both the freedom to follow His will and also to turn away from His love. It is in this way that suffering and pain have entered into God’s creation.
The concept of free will assumes that there are different options between which to choose. These various avenues also have distinct consequences. Additionally, the created world exists with certain natural and physical laws that may cause the results of a decision to lead to pain and suffering. In some cases this is particularly helpful to us. For example, think of touching a fire. As you move closer to it, you begin to experience heat. At some point, that pleasant warmth turns into intense pain. It is a warning that you should not move closer to the fire, if you want to avoid further harm. Sometimes in psychosocial and ethical situations, suffering can also be an admonition for us that we are straying from truth and virtue. For instance, if a friendship becomes damaged by distrust, anger, or greed the discomfort experienced between the two people is an indication that they have deviated from proper order in their communion. If they want to avoid further suffering, they should seek to mend their relationship.
However, there are still instances where one’s suffering does not seem to correlate with any vicious action that they have done. Natural disasters, illness, infertility, premature death, or indiscriminate financial loss are examples of this. It is in these cases that we may want to echo the words of Christ on the cross: “Eli eli lama sabachthani.” We can feel abandoned like Him. We can question why God has allowed us to seemingly suffer unnecessarily. We can become distraught and doubtful.
Yet, it is in these moments that we are given the opportunity of electing to accept our difficulties for the good of ourselves and of others. In our free will, we can either choose to become more self-centered, sorrowful, and angry; or, we can decide to allow our suffering to become a reparation for our and others’ misuse of free will. In this way, we sacrifice our freedom for the good of ourselves and of others. The word sacrifice comes from the roots sacra + facere, meaning “to make holy.” By sacrificing our free will, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world, we are able to make the world a better, holier place.
The prayer “in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world” was revealed to the Polish nun St. Faustina, and formed into the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in the early twentieth century. In her diary, she records her encounters with Jesus and how in asking for His mercy on the world, she received these words to pray: “Eternal father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world;” and, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world” (Diary 475–476). In subsequent revelations, Jesus tells St. Faustina of the great graces bestowed upon those who pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (e.g. Diary 687, 796, 1541, 1731). Not only should we pray the Chaplet often, but we can also offer these words throughout the day, when we ourselves pass through difficulty or we encounter another person suffering. St. Faustina reminds us that: “Suffering is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the Savior; in suffering love becomes crystallized; the greater the suffering, the purer the love.” Through uniting our suffering with the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, as a sacrifice for ourselves and for others, we can be made more like Him and participate in His redemptive mission.
In the book The Problem of Pain (which I would highly recommend reading), C.S. Lewis describes the concept of a “complex good,” whereby an evil act can be used for the good. In Chapter 7, point 1, he details how a simple good and a simple evil can be exploited by God for His redemptive purpose, to produce a “complex good to which accepted suffering and repented sin contribute.” He goes on to clarify that, “the fact that God can make complex good out of simple evil does not excuse — though by mercy it may save — those who do the simple evil.” Knowingly and willfully chosen sinful actions are never justified; however, God can thwart the devil’s attempt to continue to bring evil into the world by transforming a simple evil into a complex good. It is thus that Lewis writes: “What is good in any painful experience is, for the sufferer, his submission to the will of God, and, for the spectators, the compassion aroused in the acts of mercy to which it leads.” When one freely accepts their suffering, it not only can make them holier, but it also provides others with an example of how to live and an opportunity to be charitable toward those who are suffering.
In our world, there are so many instances of the misuse of free will that need reparation. From abuses of political and economic power, to genocide, to domestic violence, to individual selfishness, pride, and greed, the list goes on and on. Whether we have a lifelong burden to carry, or if we encounter smaller, daily inconveniences, both can be accepted and offered as means of reparation for those who have thrown off and abused the limits of freedom.
We can additionally choose to give freely offered mortifications as sacrifices for ourselves and for others. The word mortification has at its root the notion of death. There are countless creative ways to “die to self,” or to accept self-denial, for the benefit of your own soul and that of others. These include habits such as: getting up on time, making your bed, giving up milk or sugar in your coffee, refraining from having more of what you like at a meal, holding back a harsh word, limiting your time using social media or watching TV, etc. In a human sense, these moments of self-sacrifice form habits of virtue in ourselves, and can hopefully inspire those around us to live similarly. Further, in a supernatural sense, these acts, when offered to Christ on the Cross, can participate in the redemption of souls. As participants in Christ’s salvific mission, our smaller sacrifices can join with His greatest of sacrifices, to become conduits of God’s grace in the world.
Another helpful tool in accepting suffering is aspirations. These short, simple prayers can help remind us of God’s presence during the day and refocus ourselves when we want to turn inward or run from difficulty. Phrases such as “come Holy Spirit,” “for Your greater glory,” “Jesus I trust in You,” or “in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world” are just a few of the numerous ways you can remind yourself to sanctify your suffering throughout the day. They can even become the soundtrack to our lives, much as the Jesus prayer was for the narrator of The Way of the Pilgrim. By pausing and quietly repeating an aspiration, we can be reaffirmed and accompanied in our daily missions of sacrifice.
Further, in a secular, philanthropic sense, there is also a place for suffering. If you have a need about which you are passionate, you ought to be willing to sacrifice for it. That goes beyond sharing someone’s social media story or merely giving out of your excess (although this generosity can be helpful and good too). Rather, it means making difficult changes in your life, to give of your time, talent and treasure, for the good of others. Getting up early on the weekend to volunteer; freely offering your skills to help educate and serve others; or, cutting out your daily iced double caramel macchiato, so that you can use that money to make food bags for the homeless, are all examples of little sacrifices that you can make to affect positive change in the world around you.
Also, if you want to positively influence the lives of those in your reach — your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even strangers — the key is accompaniment. As Simon the Cyrenian walked with Christ on the road to Golgatha, so must we journey with those suffering around us. But, that means that we’ll have to accept the weight of their crosses too. This is accomplished by listening to their stories, opening up to receive them in empathy, and supporting them in whatever way they need. However, it can be hard to start accompanying someone. Especially if you’ve known them for a while, entering into their brokenness may make you feel bad for all that you did not know that they were going through. Additionally, truly walking with them means witnessing them fall, having to help them care for their wounds, and risking being associated with their sorry state. This can be physically and emotionally taxing. However, it is the only way to truly get to know someone. By walking alongside them, you can start to see the world a little bit easier through their eyes.
When accepting sufferings, large or small, the most important thing is to do it humbly and discreetly. Sometimes, it can be easy to begrudgingly or pridefully “offer it up.” However, with that mindset, you will likely turn more towards discontentment and selfishness, rather than love and sincerity. Contrarily, Jesus reminds us not to draw attention to ourselves when we suffer, but instead to appear as if we are not making a sacrifice at all. In that way, we do not co-opt our suffering into a reason for self-indulgence, but for penance. And, although our sacrifice may not be visible to others, God “sees what is hidden [and] will repay you” (Matthew 6:18). We need not fear if our sufferings thus endured will bear fruit. For, God, who sees and knows all things, will look kindly on our humble offerings.
The problem of pain is one of the ultimate questions of the human experience. Those of you who have walked through significant valleys of suffering may know this to be true. We can also come to acknowledge this fundamental grapple in our minor, daily difficulties. It is our free will that allows for suffering. God’s respect for our freedom and the natural laws with which we live determine that there are consequences to our and others’ actions. Yet, even when we do not necessarily cause a difficult situation, we may still suffer its burdensome effects in our lives. We may even have to live with them for a long period of time. Regardless, we can either choose to succumb to the negativities of this life, or we can aspire to offer our crosses for a greater purpose. In the highest sense, we can choose to bear our difficulties in reparation for our own and others’ misuse of free will. By sacrificing our desire to run from a certain trial, we can make our own will holier and provide others with the chance to become more virtuous as well, by freely choosing to help those who are suffering. Additionally, through daily mortifications, aspirations, and accompaniment, we can multiply the effects of the simple evils of the world that can be turned into complex goods, through God’s grace. By consciously uniting our trials with those of Christ on the cross, we can echo the words that Jesus gave to St. Faustina to teach the whole world to pray, “Eternal Father I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Savior Jesus Christ, [along with these sufferings that I presently bear], in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”
