making up for what is lacking?

[photosynthesis]

I'm really into reparation spirituality and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, so I've been reading a lot about the mystery of suffering and its redemptive qualities. specifically, i've been reading 1499-1523 in the Catechism, the book of Job and some stuff by Fr. Benedict Groeschel (I've always thought of him as "the suffering guy" because whenever I'm up at 3am watching tv he's always on talking about suffering). I often hear it said that when we suffer, we are given the oppurtunity to "complete what is lacking" in Christ's sufferings... It just makes me wonder... what is it that is lacking in the sufferings of Christ? I don't think it's inconsistent with Bible verses that say that Jesus died once and for all, but whenever I talk about suffering with Protestants (usually pentacostals who believe that if you're sick or depressed then the problem is you don't pray hard enough) and they always say that Catholics don't believe that Jesus died once and for all. Obviously he did die once and for all... but I still can't figure out what it is that is lacking in the sufferings of Christ? What do you think St. Paul was talking about when he said this in Colossians?

[Thumper]

This is a really interesting question, and while the answers I've found make sense, I'm not sure they are ultimately satisfying.

From the Collegeville Bible Commentary on Colossians 1:24-2:3: " . . . ministers who suffer for the Christian community do so with joy, following Paul's example (Phil 1:18; 2:17). They continue to experience in the flesh the tributions which Christ experienced before his resurrection, for these tribulations did not end with his death. Therefore, it can be said his ministers fill up what was missing yet in Christ's suffering. As with Christ, so their suffering is undertaken for the sake of his body, the church (see v. 18a)."

The footnote in the New Oxford Annotated Bible indicates: "Because of the mystical union of the believers with Christ, what Paul suffers for the sake of . . . the church can be called Christ's afflictions (2 Cor 1.5; 4.10)."

I think I would contextualize this within an understanding of the cross as the place where the temporal and the infinite meet. The sufferings of the present day are included within the infinite span of the cross, and thus are part of Christ's afflictions; however they are still in the process of being made manifest within history. In this sense, Christ's afflictions are said to be "lacking" simply because suffering is not at an end.

[scardella]

Here is the relevant text:
[quote]Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory. It is he whom we proclaim, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.  For this I labor and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
- Col 1:24-29[/quote]

I have two initial thoughts.

1. By suffering for Christ, we provide witness of Christ's suffering to others who were not able to see His salvific suffering on the Cross. We ourselves become witnesses through this method. n Furthermore, since we are one body in Christ, Christ's suffering and our suffering become one.
2. (here's where non-Catholics will disagree) Christ's suffering does not remove the temporal effects of sin. Thus, we still have disease, death, broken families, etc. However, that suffering paradoxically can serve to refine us as in the fire.

Erm, gotta run. It's 5 o'clock here.