Illness and suffering

“Sickness is half death,” says a folk proverb. Christian asceticism treats diseases similarly to death. They are the punishment for sin. However, in connection with Christ’s suffering, they become cleansing and revive the life force. Pagans, especially cultivated ones, fundamentally avoid suffering. The goal of life is happiness. “Therefore, it is better not to be born,” Plutarch writes, “to suffer.” The ancient Eastern religions do not try much to explain the problem of pain: it brings them a dark destiny or an evil deity. Old Testament on the contrary, it shows the cause of all difficulties. It is unfaithfulness to God and his law. In this way, God seemed to awaken the conscience of the people to turn and callfor mercy. In this sense, Dostoevsky writes that “A man’s conscience is born in suffering.” In a moral sense, Berdyaev adds, Descartes’ modified motto applies:”Isuffer, so am I!” Morality, however, dictates that we take care of our health take care if it is reasonable and possible under the  circumstances. We haveto pray for the health of soul and body. It’s a great gift, he writes St. Teodor Studita, to be healthy and able to work for God. St. Basil a assured some anxious monks that he did they may call a doctor that it is not at all contrary to God’s providence that sends the disease. After all, God created also doctors and gives medicinal herbs to grow so that we can they used them. However, if the disease comes, we should be aware of it according to the words St.Ignatius of Loyola, “that it is no less a gift than health.”

After all, he himself turned into illness. We will learn many virtues just in disease. Forced stay in bed gives the opportunityto think, to read spiritual things, to pray. With his patience, example, good word he will serve more sick his visitors than they do him. John of Goldmouth he writes : «When you entrust yourself to God in sickness, you will love him more than if you did a lot of good health. ” “If you look at the disease in yourself, »adds St. Franz of  Sales, “it is something terrible, but if you see God in it will, it becomes joy and an expression of love. » “I know the dangers of health,” we read in B. Pascal, “and the great benefits of the disease. Don’t complain, the disease is a natural state for a Christian. »