Saint Dominic: An Evangelical Man

Saint Dominic: An Evangelical Man

SAINT DOMINIC: AN EVANGELICAL MAN

 

St. Dominic is a man of yesterday and today. After 800 years of evangelical mission, his presence is still alive among us, his sons and daughters; his memory is constant and his teachings vital. We find in him a Master of spiritual life, a Father who exhorts us to follow in his footsteps.

The more we know him, the more we love him.

In the twenty-first century, we continue to be moved by his humanity, his sensitivity and his dynamism.

Before birth, he was already destined to be an inflamed torch that burns the world. His life was a continuous ascension bathed in the clarity of God. Around Dominic, a zone of light was woven, that source of spiritual rays that generates radiances of faith, of the reflection of the “light” of Christ. Dominic is above all light, and this light is reality and symbol generating wonders; the light is innovative, reforming, and revolutionary, which through the ages has projected a clarity such that many have devoted themselves to following in his footsteps.

Jordan of Saxony tells us that Dominic illumined “those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Libellus 9).

His whole life is a sign, a manifestation of the Spirit. Revelation gives us the key: “The Spirit and the bride say, Come Lord Jesus. Whoever hears say come, whoever is thirsty should come and receive the water of life for free.” Thanks to His Spirit, we can drink the water of life for free, as we so often repeat, “Give us ‘the water of Wisdom.'” Those of us who find in him a model of Christian life feel called to live as he lived; he has left us a great example to follow and imitate.

He was an evangelical man. He lived the Gospel.

 

Three Axes of Dominic’s Life

His whole life revolves around three axes: apostolic zeal, common life, and incessant prayer.

 

1. His great apostolic zeal: It led him not to miss the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel, as his witnesses attest. Among many of them, we highlight this testimony of Fray Juan de Navarra. “Dominic took pity on his neighbors and ardently desired their salvation. Many times he preached the same, induced and sent the friars to preach, begging and admonishing them to be diligent in the salvation of souls.”

His whole being and living was moved by the light and fire of the Holy Spirit, attentive to the Word of the Lord he heard in his heart, “Go and tell them what I command you. Do not be afraid of them, I will be with you” (Jer. 1:4). He was like St. Paul who felt in his heart the experience of the Spirit, saying, “Woe to me if I do not evangelize!” Guided by the Spirit and open to God, he gave himself to free and to gather the scattered children of God. For Dominic, eternal salvation is not a hollow word; he cannot resign himself, but he mobilizes himself to save them: it is his main concern. He is a passionate man; he loves Christ and all men. St. Dominic was a man of flesh heart and was sensitive to the material and spiritual needs of men.

Brother Stephen, one of the first witnesses who lived with him, tells us, “At that time a terrible famine began to waste the region so that many of the poor were dying of hunger. Moved by compassion and mercy, Brother Dominic sold his books (which he himself had annotated) and other possessions, gave the money to the poor and said, ‘I will not study on dead skins when men are dying of hunger.'” (THE PROCESS OF CANONIZATION AT BOLOGNA, 35). His first trait is mercy; his great personality is compassion; he lived constantly in that inner attitude that put him in communion with the misery of others.

Jesus was full of compassion, suffered with those who suffered, shared their sorrow, and transmitted that sensitivity to his disciples. Jesus, sensitive to the hunger of the crowd, multiplied the loaves and fish. Dominic gives what he has. He goes to the most needy; he does it from the heart; he fights the misery of others, both material and moral. Dominic has received from the Holy Spirit the gift of participating in the suffering of others. He is a man of extreme sensitivity, making “the passion of Christ his own.” He suffers because God is not loved by all men. Compassion changes his life. He couldn’t go far before the misery of others without feeling moved. Dominic establishes the apostolic life according to the example of the apostles. He wants his vocation not to be for himself, but all his desire is to be LIFE FOR OTHERS. His vocation is to imitate Christ as preacher of the Gospel. Our Father wants his sons and daughters to participate in this compassion, to make it our own, and to give men in the face of their material or spiritual misery the response that springs from the heart of God.

He tells us that in order not to lose this sensitivity and our true reason for being, we ought to love poverty, which leads us to seek God and to be in need of Him, to put everything in His hands, and to labor for Him and fill our hearts with His love. He opts for the life of poverty for various reasons. Poverty leads us to the freedom of preaching, to the availability of apostolate, and to the imitation of Jesus. The vitality of apostolic life depends on poverty. To be an Evangelical man, you have to be poor.

Furthermore, the word filled his whole life. Dominic was the ultimate guardian of souls; he recognized that only the authentic word can save, and that, thus, it was necessary to announce it. His word was convincing because there was consistency between his words and his deeds. Truth is the axis of his life: he spoke out of the abundance of his heart. Dominic immediately realized that the conversion of heretics was not an intellectual problem, but a problem of inner brokenness. His preaching was like a double-edged sword. It was the Spirit who spoke through his mouth. His principal aim was not so much in convincing but in breaking the heart of stone. He acted out of compassion.

In his preaching, there are not only fruits and miracles, but also misunderstandings, rejections, and even persecutions abounded. St. Dominic, like St. Paul, bore witness to Jesus Christ through sufferings. His great apostolic zeal led him to preach from the Spirit, that is, spontaneously, in pure faith, entrusting the word to the action of grace; he preached from prayer, faith and trust. He knew the gratuitousness that had been given to him: the word was continually given to him, it was the action of God in him.

In the today of history, we have to preach Jesus Christ, we have to be light and leaven for all men living–these two identities correspond to the double contemplative–apostolic foundation of our life. From our daily life, with its difficulties, we live everything FROM LOVE AND WITH LOVE. It is the Spirit who carries it out. We must be like a feather carried by a powerful breeze, a channel through which the Lord can freely let a current of grace flow that will transform others. It is to rest in the Lord by accepting his initiative. Dominic surrendered as Mary did, saying, “Lord, let it be done to me, according to your will.”

 

2. The common life: It is the characteristic of the foundation of the Order. He saw, in founding his Order, that it was a manifestation of the Spirit for the good of the Church and of men. As a work of God’s grace, everything came from Him. The experience of grace, in which everything is received, produces humility.

Our constitutions, the laws of the Order, do not oblige under sin: their fulfillment must be anointed only by the inner grace and responsibility of the individual. The law is not despised but is a channel of spiritual and human coexistence. Salvation does not come from the fulfillment of a law but from the gratuitousness of Jesus Christ.

The community of friars and sisters live in dialogue, fraternity, the sharing of goods, in chapters, and in the common celebration of the liturgy. Dominic wants an organization based on the free expression of the personality of each one. Dominic imprinted on his Order a novel and original style. It focused on the fundamental values of respect for a person’s dignity, of representativeness, and of co-responsibility–all based on faith. Our Father founds the Order around community life and, from here, everything revolves. He chooses the Rule of St. Augustine, which is founded on the model of the Church of the first Christians in Jerusalem and of the need for unanimity in common life. “The first goal for which you have gathered in community is that you may dwell in the house unanimously and have a single soul and a heart toward God. And do not have anything as your own but let everything belongs to everyone” (Rule of St. Augustine). St. Dominic insists: the life of the apostles is essential. He wants his friars to live together, to pray together, and to go preach together. We have several very precious testimonies of the qualities of Our Father for common life.  

In the Bologna Canonization Process (#17), it is recorded: “On August the eighth, Brother Amizio of Milan, priest, prior at Padua, stated under oath that Master Dominic was a humble and meek man, patient and kind, quiet, peaceful and modest. There was a solid maturity in all his actions and words; he was a sympathetic consoler of others, but especially of his own brethren. He had an ardent zeal for regular observance[and] great love for poverty…” (Bologna Canonization Process). Also, Brother Paul of Venice deposed: “[Dominic] was the best possible comforter of the brethren and others in trouble or temptation. He [Brother Paul] knew this both because he experienced it himself and also heard the same thing from others.” (Bologna Canonization Process #43).

He had the charism of the spiritual companion. He was not content to attract friars to his Order, but was committed in them to help them at the time of trials. For St. Dominic, common life is not limited to living together. To live it well, unanimity is necessary, in the collective commitment of common life. “What has to be lived by everyone, has to be decided by everyone.” Common life can only function well if there is a total surrender, a giving of oneself totally to others, without a spirit of the reward-seeking. It is to give everything that I have received, to live the evangelical confidence of losing everything to gain everything. As he tells us, there is more joy in giving than in receiving. To live this requires a great strength of soul, as Our Father Dominic had. “All men were swept into the embrace of his charity, and, in loving all, he was beloved by all.” (Libellus #107) He considered it his duty to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who mourn. He carried this out from his piety, devoting himself to the care of the poor and wretched. Community life is a source of joy, the joy promised by the Lord, which the world cannot comprehend.

St. Dominic knows how to command because he has known how to obey. He knows how to decide because he has been able to mature. He doesn’t think about his personal success; he has forged himself in the inner life. He did not live according to logical reasons; he acts guided by the Holy Spirit. St. Thomas tells us, “Those who are moved by divine instinct should not be advised by human reason, but should follow the inner inspiration that comes from a higher principle.” St. Dominic transmitted to his children the greatness of mind, and to us he continues to transmit it, trusting in the grace of God that guides us. “Fully trusting in God,” says John of Navarre, “He sent to preach even the less skilled, telling them, Go confidently, for the Lord will give you the gift of the divine word, he will be with you and you will lack nothing. They would go out to preach, and everything happened as he had said.” Jordan of Saxony, who lived with St. Dominic closely, portrays Dominic as a man, a brother, and a Father; Jordan praises that Dominic’s presence impressed, touched the hearts of those to whom he addressed. He listened because he loved. He knew how to be brothers of all. He was first and foremost a Father. He has begotten many sons and daughters. He loved as a father, and he was loved as a father.

Our constitutions tell us that we are summoned into the community “to have one soul in God.” We form a community, each one summoned by Jesus Christ to make our own the cause of the Kingdom of God: “I have heard the cries of my people and I have not been able to bear them, so go and tell them”. We live in community by listening to the voice of God who summons us from the burning bush of his Word and from the groans of his people. A Monastery in the middle of the village makes present now and here the Kingdom of Heaven. Similarly, a Community is the Temple of the Holy Spirit; it is a Mystery that must lead each to see the Mystery of God. Our relationships have to be spiritual; we are inhabited by the Trinity. Community life is a work of God. When we build communion, welcome, generosity, listening–where we make the feeling of others our own–when we offer a witness of faith, of trust, in the hope that comes to us from Him and gives light to us, we become LIFE FOR OTHERS.

3. Prayer: It is that element that gives life to apostolic zeal and common life. All those who lived with St. Dominic insisted on the intensity of his prayer. He prayed as he breathed; he was invaded by prayer; he prayed incessantly, so much so that when he went on his way, he did not stop praying so as not to lose contact with the Lord. In an almost uninterrupted conversing with Christ Crucified, he always carried with him the Gospel of St. Matthew and the letters of St. Paul.

His dialogue with Christ always has, as its horizon, the souls for whom Christ has given his life. Brother William of Montferrat deposed that “whenever it was time for [Dominic] to go to bed, he first applied himself energetically to prayer, sometimes with groans and tears, so that often he woke the witness and the others from sleep with his groaning and weeping. And he firmly believes that he spent more time in prayer than in sleepingHe refrained from idle words and spoke always about God or with God.” (Bologna Canonization Process #13, translated in Dominic authored by Koudelka OP, Tugwell OP, and Fissler OP). He immersed himself in prayer like a child according to the Gospel. As a lamp that shines in the night, he practiced the spirit of what the Lord says in Luke 21:36: Be vigilant and keep praying.

St. Dominic prayed with body and soul, with all his being. He lived a deep communion with those who suffered. His prayer is first and foremost imitation of the praying Christ, and the prayer of Christ reaches its perfection on the Cross, because, for prayer to be life, it is necessary to pass through the cross, embrace it, and stick to it. He liked to pray standing, with the hands open, as a sign of oblation, as one who receives everything, as one who draws from the open heart of Jesus the water he needs to live. He loved the Lord, being in a deep union with Him. He was a man of deep faith; he had a great love for God and neighbor; he was dominated by an impetus of divine fervor; he lived out of his intense interior life. The theological life that he lived in depth expressed itself in joy, the true fruit of charity. This gift of joy that comes from God manifests itself even after his death: in that aroma spreading from his body during its translation to a new sepulchre. The joy he lived on earth is now spread by that good smell. That perfume spreading from his remains is presented to us as a confirmation of his theological life.

St. Dominic was a man of prayer and word. The Word has forged in him the inner man; he has been able to mature so as to act not in function of himself but in favor of others. When he read Sacred Scripture, he gave himself entirely to meditative reading; he gave himself to it as if he gave himself to people. The Gospel to him was a person. His mind lit up sweetly as if he heard the Lord speaking to him. And as he met people, he perceived it to be meeting Christ, and his heart burned in fire to preach to others. His spiritual life was centered on the celebration of the liturgy. The liturgy was lived as the public expression of the intimate divine life of the Church. God chose the Incarnation to communicate with man, using human language that is based on words and signs. God is in permanent and sensitive contact with men. He entrusts to us the Liturgy, this permanence of praise and intercession. Living the whole divine office, we actively participate in the end of our Order which is the salvation of souls.

Dominic’s great experience of knowing himself loved and saved led him to passionately proclaim Jesus Christ, not as an object of devotion but as the one who appears and changes your life. Our contemplation has to lead us to the line of truth, which is our motto VERITAS. It is the Spirit-infused knowledge of the mysteries of our salvation. St. Dominic teaches us that truth is as important as love to penetrate the soul. The whole meaning of our life is in the truth in the line of the good and love.

Before leaving this world, Our Father left us a message of truth and love. It is a magnificent testament of hope, and the commitment to live this inheritance, we his sons and daughters must never forget. He is always among us; he promised us at the hour of his death, “I will be more useful and profitable after death than I have been in life.” And he wants us to think about what it is to be poor, humble and charitable: to be witnesses for others of the LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST.

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas

Who was Saint Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas, born around 1225 in Roccasecca, Italy, was a prominent theologian and philosopher who combined theological principles of faith with philosophical principles of reason. He was the youngest of at least nine children in a wealthy family that owned a castle in Roccasecca. As a teenager, he was influenced by the Dominicans, a newly founded order of priests devoted to preaching and learning.

Thomas joined the Dominicans at the age of nineteen and was assigned to Paris for further study. He spent three years in Paris studying philosophy and then moved to Cologne under the supervision of Albert the Great, who became his mentor. Albert’s conviction that the Christian faith could only benefit from a profound engagement with philosophy and science greatly influenced Thomas.

Thomas’s philosophical work is primarily found in the context of his Scriptural theology, and he is known for his so-called ‘five ways’ of attempting to demonstrate the existence of God. He also offered one of the earliest systematic discussions of the nature and kinds of law, including a famous treatment of natural law.

Thomas’s writings on ethical theory are virtue-centred, and he discussed the relevance of pleasure, passions, habit, and the faculty of will for the moral life. He is considered one of the most important theologians in the history of Western civilization, and his model for the correct relationship between theology and philosophy has inspired many.

Thomas died on March 7, 1274, at the Cistercian monastery of Fossanova, near Terracina, Latium, Papal State, Italy. He was canonized by Pope John XXII in 1323 and is honored as a saint and Doctor of the Church by the Catholic Church.

Aquinas’s Contribution to the Development of Theology and Philosophy

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was a Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian who is considered one of the greatest thinkers in Western intellectual history and a key figure in scholasticism, a medieval philosophical and theological movement. 

He is known for his exceptional intellect and scholarship, and his contributions to theology and philosophy continue to be widely recognized and influential today. Aquinas’s most significant work is Summa Theologica, a comprehensive systematic treatise on theology and philosophy that synthesizes and harmonizes the teachings of Aristotle with Christian theology. The work covers a wide range of topics, including the nature of God, ethics, human nature, and the sacraments, and it emphasizes the compatibility of philosophy and theology, rejecting the notion of inherent conflict between them.

Aquinas’ philosophy was marked by his commitment to reason and the integration of faith and reason. He believed that reason and revelation were complementary and that both could lead to a deeper understanding of truth. His approach emphasized the compatibility of philosophy and theology, and he provided rational arguments for the existence of God, known as the “Five Ways,” which presented philosophical justifications for belief in a transcendent Creator. Aquinas also explored the concept of natural law, asserting that there are moral principles rooted in human nature that are accessible through reason. He believed that these moral principles were universal and could be known by all people, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Aquinas’ contributions to theology and philosophy were widely recognized during his lifetime, and his influence continues to be felt today. He is often referred to as the “Doctor Angelicus” and is regarded as one of the church’s greatest theologians and philosophers.

Despite his relatively short life, Aquinas’ extensive writing and profound insights have left an enduring legacy in philosophy, theology, and Christian thought. His teachings remain a cornerstone of Catholic theology, and his approach to the relationship between faith and reason continues to inspire philosophers and theologians around the world.

How did Saint Thomas Aquinas’s ideas influence the development of Christian philosophy?

Saint Thomas Aquinas was a philosopher and theologian who is considered one of the most important figures in the development of Christian philosophy. His ideas have had a profound influence on the relationship between faith and reason, the philosophy of language, epistemology, metaphysics, natural theology, philosophical anthropology, ethics, and political philosophy. One of Aquinas’ most significant contributions to Christian philosophy is his model for the correct relationship between faith and reason.

He believed that faith and reason were not in conflict but rather complementary, with faith providing a foundation for reason and reason providing a way to understand and defend faith. This approach has been influential in the development of Christian philosophy and theology, and it continues to be a subject of debate and discussion today.

Aquinas’ philosophy of language is also significant, particularly his concept of analogy. He believed that language about God is to be understood analogically, meaning that it is both like and unlike human applications. This concept has been influential in Christian theology and philosophy, and it continues to be a subject of study and discussion.

Aquinas’ work in epistemology, metaphysics, and natural theology has also been influential in Christian philosophy. He believed in the existence of a natural order that could be known through reason, and he argued for the existence of God through his famous “Five Ways.” These arguments have been widely discussed and debated in Christian philosophy, and they continue to be a subject of interest and study. Aquinas’ contributions to philosophical anthropology, ethics, and political philosophy have also been significant. He believed in the inherent dignity and value of human beings, and he argued for the importance of virtues and moral character in human life.

His work in these areas has been influential in Christian philosophy and theology, and it continues to be a subject of study and discussion today. Lastly, Saint Thomas Aquinas’ ideas have had a profound influence on the development of Christian philosophy, particularly in the areas of faith and reason, philosophy of language, epistemology, metaphysics, natural theology, philosophical anthropology, ethics, and political philosophy. His work continues to be studied and debated in Christian philosophy and theology, and his contributions to the field remain significant and influential.

The Virtue of Wisdom in Saint Thomas Aquinas

The Virtue of Wisdom in Saint Thomas Aquinas

Abstract

This lecture is an attempt to trace the evolution of the concept of wisdom as found in the thought of Aristotle and Aquinas. This is done in terms of how the Greek concept of wisdom as an intellectual virtue is understood and used to express the Christian concept of wisdom as a gift of the Holy Spirit. The main aim is to understand how Aquinas derived the concept of wisdom from Aristotle’s philosophy and developed it in his theology.

The study is based on Book 6 of Aristotle Nichomachean Ethics  and Question 45 of the second part of the second part of Aquinas Summa Theologiae. It concludes with a reflection on the relationship between wisdom and happiness.

Edmond Eh Kim Chew, OP

 

The Human-Animal Boundary and Symposium on Chinese Philosophy 2016

The Human-Animal Boundary

    University of Macau

       27-28 Nov 2015

The boundary between humans and non-human animals has been an integral part of philosophical discourse since antiquity. Attempts to draw a boundary between human and nonhuman life has involved the literary imagination as well as philosophical reflection. Throughout the centuries philosophers and poets alike have defended an essential difference – rather than a porous transition – between what counts as human and what as animal. The attempts to assign essential properties to humans (e.g. a capacity for language use, reason and morality) often reflected ulterior aims to defend a privileged position for humans with regard to animals (which were, in turn, interpreted as speechless, irrational and amoral). While this form of humanism has come under attack through animal rights initiatives in recent decades, alternative ways of engaging the human-animal relationship from a philosophical and poetic perspective are rare. The conference thus aims to shift the traditional anthropocentric focus of philosophy and literature by combining the question “what is human?” with the question “what is animal?” to explore productive ways of thinking with and beyond the human-animal boundary.

Edmond Eh, O.P.

 

 

Symposium on Chinese Philosophy 2016,

Singapore-Hong Kong-Macau

29-30 April 2016

The Singapore-Hong Kong-Macau Symposium on Chinese Philosophy took place on 29-30 April 2016. It aims to foster dialogue and interaction among scholars and advanced graduate students primarily based in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau. Topics include any aspect of Chinese Philosophy, as well as papers dealing with comparative issues that engage Chinese perspectives. While preference is given to those from the region, participants from any geographic areas are welcome. Organised and sponsored by the Department of Philosophy, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Edmond Eh, O.P.

 

 

Reflection on the Public Lecture

Reflection on the Public Lecture

 Marian Devotion in relation to Lumen Gentium and Marialis Cultus

The lecturer, fr. Roland Mactal, introduced the Vatican II convoked in 1962 by Pope John XXIII, and closed by Pope Paul VI in the year 1965. Concerning Marian Devotion or Theology of Mary, he explains the two major themes “Aggiornamento” and “Ressourcement”. Aggiornamento means renewal or updating and Ressourcement means going back to the sources, here the sources will be the Scriptures.

Theology of Mary or Marian Devotion is mainly discussed in Vatican II Document Lumen Gentium, chapter eight. The lecturer explains the Parameters of Marian Theology. He introduces four parameters on the theology of Mary. Firstly, Mary as Theological Person which indicates Mary’s life and work as a mission expressed in Lumen Gentium, numbers 54 to 59.

Secondly, Mary as the Spiritual Subject, in which Mary is considered as one of us who experiences what we experience. In other words, that is the Process of Individuation. This concept is expressed in Lumen Gentium, numbers 66 to 67.

The third parameter is Concrete Universal in which Mary is presented as Model, Archetype or Exemplar of the Church. This typology reveals the relation between Mary and the Church. This parameter is taken from Lumen Gentium, numbers 60 to 65.

The last parameter presents Mary as Historical Subject. This parameter concerns the Anthropological and cultural identity of Mary, regarding the questions of who Mary is and where she is from. This parameter leads us to understand that Mary is an anawim, which means she is a poor of YHWH. This parameter can be found in Lumen Gentium, numbers 52 to 53.

Another concept that the Lecturer discussed was Mary as Mediatrix. The Mediatrix is attributed to Mary only as a title. However, many people have been proposing it to become a dogma. He continues to explain that there are some opposite ideas on this issue. Some propose that Jesus Christ is the Only Mediator, quoting the Letter of St. Paul to Timothy 2:5-6.

The counterpart explanation of this is that the mediation of Jesus is unique and ontological and cannot be replaced. The mediation of Mary is intercessory and dynamic. Mary’s mediation is through intercession, because she participates in the life of Jesus Christ. It does not obscure or diminishes the unique mediation of Christ, rather shows His power. (L.G. # 60) Because of the superabundance of merits she received from Christ, she is the Mediatrix. Lumen Gentium, number 62 entitles Mary as “Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Benefactress”.

Concerning the Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus of Pope Paul VI, the lecturer explains the role of Marian devotion in relation to the Liturgy. The Liturgy is the official public prayer of the Church. The Vatican II emphasizes to restore and enhance the Liturgy by active and fruitful participation of the faithful in it.

Marialis Cultus expresses in terms of renewal of private Marian devotion, such as the Rosary in relation to the Liturgy of the Eucharist and to the Liturgy of the Hours. Furthermore, in Marialis Cultus Marian teachings were the union of Mary with the mystery of Christ and the Church and the placement of Marian devotion in its right perspective.

Concerning Marian Devotion, Catholic veneration of the Mother of God has two aspects: Public (official) and Private (pious devotions and exercises). The Public Official Liturgical Prayers are the Holy Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. Mary, the Mother of God, is commemorated in the daily celebration of the Eucharist. The Church has officially approved four solemnities, three feasts and nine memorials in honor of Mary within the Liturgical Year. Mary is featured in the liturgy in various ways such as Hymns, prayers and the readings.

As explained in Marialis Cultus, the Angelus and the Holy Rosary are the two exercises of piety, which are both biblically based. The substantial part of these devotions is primarily taken from the Gospel. The Angelus reminds us of the Paschal Mystery of Christ. The Holy Rosary which focusses on the salvific events of the life of Christ is called the Gospel prayer.

In Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI recognizes the Dominicans’ tradition on Holy Rosary as he mentions: “among these people special mention should be made of the sons of St. Dominic, by tradition the guardians and promoters of this very salutary practice, the praying of the Holy Rosary.” (43)

The lecturer concludes that “Marialis Cultus proposed Mary as model of the Church in divine worship, because she represents the Church at worship at its deepest level.”

Francis Nge Nge, OP

Meaning of Suffering and Death

Meaning of Suffering and Death

FAUSTO GOMEZ OP

faustogomez@yahoo.com

       Remember John, the patient with metastatic brain cancer? After discarding the option of euthanasia, which shortens life unethically, and of dysthanasia, which postpones death unduly, John has accepted orthothanasia or allowing to die, and signed a “living will.” He has also asked his elder brother physician to please continue taking care of his terrible pain, and to his daughter, not to leave him alone.

       Once in a medico-moral conference in Manila, I heard a psychiatrist say: “Ask not why a patient requests for euthanasia, but why life loses its meaning.”  Indeed, finding meaning to the end of life, and to suffering can make of euthanasia not an option.

       MEANING OF SUFFERING AND PAIN

       The word “suffering” is derived from the Latin word “sufferre” or” sub-ferre,” meaning to bear: the sufferer is a bearer of burdens. Although mainly physical in nature, pain is closely related to suffering, which is more than just bodily pain. As Eric Cassell says, pain is undergone by the body, while suffering by the person. Radically, however, the experience of pain and suffering belongs to the whole person, who is body-soul. Often, the terms pain and suffering are used interchangeably. Suffering may be physical and moral (cf. John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris).

       May suffering and pain be useful?  Do they have a positive meaning?  In the order of nature, pain and suffering especially severe and chronic are evils that attack our integrity as human beings, limit our freedom and independence, develop in many of us feelings of anger, rejection and guilt – and the fear of alienation.

       As an evil, suffering has to be avoided and fought.  As an inevitable part of our earthly life – sooner or later, an intruder into our life –, we are asked to face it humanely, that is, reasonably, responsibly, and – as much as possible – courageously.  In the order of divine grace, suffering is an evil, but it can become – when lovingly and patiently borne – an instrument of purification and salvation.

       Suffering, including physical pain, is truly mysterious: mysterium doloris. Suffering is part of the project of human life that is realized in love.  God is not indifferent to our infirmities. In fact, in his Son Jesus Christ, he shared our sufferings, and is with us when we are in pain.   Out of love Christ died for all humanity. We, Jesus’ disciples, join our sufferings to the sufferings of Christ.  The deepest meaning of the mystery of suffering is co-redemptive suffering or suffering as an act of redeeming love (Col. 1:24). How do we bear our cross – our darkness? We try to bear it with courage, patience and hope – and prayer. How do we help others carry their cross, their pains and sufferings? By relieving their suffering and accompanying them with compassion and prayer.

       COMPASSION WITH THE DYING

       True compassion with the dying – with our brother John – is not the false compassion of euthanasia that kills, but the true compassion of charity as love of neighbor, of all neighbors, especially the poor and the sick neighbor – as Jesus witnessed and taught us.

       Following Christ, the Good Samaritan – the best paradigm of the healing and caring ministry –, we all have to be at the side of those who suffer in our families and communities, and to help them bear their sufferings. We have to accompany, in particular, the terminally and incurable ill.  In his play Caligula, Albert Camus put these words in the mouth of Scipio:  “Caligula often told me that the only mistake one makes in life is causing suffering to others.” We have to be at the side of the terminally ill in a nonjudgmental, non-paternalistic, but understanding, respectful and prayerful attitude.

       The terminally ill patients need not only pain relief, but also empathetic solidarity; need not philosophical or theological explanations but compassion. In general, health care professionals try to free patients from pain, while significant others – immediate family, friends, the pastoral team and also the healthcare team – provide support and protection, security – and “a warm heart.”

       Another important point to underline: those serving the terminally ill, in particular believers in Jesus, realize that the sick evangelize them, too, by silently inviting them to reflect on the gifts of health and relationships, on God, on our own sufferings, on the finitude of life, and on their loving union with the Crucified and Risen Lord.

       How do we help others to die? We help them to die peacefully by praying with them and their families, by being with them, by accompanying them. While we ask the Lord to help us face our own death with courage, we ask him to help us face the death of our loved ones and our neighbors with compassion, with sympathetic solidarity. The Lord is particularly present in those who suffer. When we visit patients like John, we believe that Jesus is present in them. Jesus keeps telling us: “I was sick and you visited me” (Mt 25:36).

       THE REALITY OF DEATH

       Death is inescapable, inevitable, and utterly undeniable:  “Man’s days are like those of the grass, like a flower of the fields it blooms; the wind sweeps over him and he is gone, and his place knows him no more (Ps 103:15-16).

       Pain and suffering are travelling companions on our journey of life. They appear as veiled or clear warnings of the reality of death. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, Illness “can make us glimpse death” (CCC, 1500).

       As Christians, we are asked not only to accept our death but also to help others accept theirs. Physicians, and other healthcare givers, are asked by their profession – and by their faith – to help the terminally ill and dying accept their death at the proper time.  To be able to do this responsibly, they must have accepted the reality of death not as a failure of medicine (except when there is a gross negligence), but as a natural end of earthly human life.

       For Christians, death is also a very important and difficult reality, but not the ultimate reality. The ultimate reality is eternal life with God: “Where might the human being seek the answer to dramatic questions such as pain, the suffering of the innocent and death, if not in the light streaming from the mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection?” (John Paul II). “I am not dying. I am entering life” (Saint Therese of the Child Jesus). “If you are an apostle, you will not die. You will change of house and nothing more” (St. Josemaría Escrivá).

       Objective ethical guidelines and answers are not hard, but personal decisions at the end of life are often extremely difficult. The bishops of Illinois advice: “We must not let some of the ambiguities of end-of-life decision making lead us, on one hand to a neurotic fear that we will incur Christ’s judgment for not acting with sufficient care and, on the other hand, to choose reckless or misguided care for our loved ones. In consulting with legitimate Church teaching, our conscience can be formed so that decisions made even in emotionally laden situations are moral, compassionate and appropriate.”

       On earth we are pilgrims, co-travelers on the way to the Father’s house: we are citizens of heaven. Our life is God’s gift which we must treasure from womb to tomb. Our faith, God’s unmerited gift, is hopeful. Our love – God’s love – makes of our life a faithful and hopeful journey to heaven. Certainly, love is stronger than death.

       At the end of his earthly life, John is suffering with continuing pains. He has signed his “living will.” His brother physician is helping him diminish his pains by prescribing the appropriate painkillers. His daughter, family and friends are giving him “a warm heart” so that he does not suffer from loneliness, from feeling alone, which would mean social death. They all, with the members of his parish are praying with and for him. John has asked for the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion. He is calm and at peace within and without. He is ready to go.

       “You, dear Lord, have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” (St. Augustine). May God bless us all!

(Published by O Clarim, June 23, p. 10)

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