Originally Posted by
Eliza Thomason
Once, I went to a Catholic event in our city and us regular folks were sitting at tables just enjoying each others company (between speakers or something), when a guy came around with little pamphlets and asked us fellow Catholics, smiling engagingly, "Who would like to be a Victim Soul?" He got no response except averted eyes, which did not discourage him, so I said, "I don't want to be Victim Soul because I don't like suffering. I avoid it." Nods all around. But he talked reasonable, and I took the pamphlet. Apparently we don't have to scourge ourselves or wear hair shirts, but just offer the suffering we have in our everyday life, since we all have suffering. I endeavor to do this, though I am not consistent by any means.
Understandable because to think suffering is good is liken to enjoying it or something, and who would trust such a person? But we imitate Christs whose sufferings were efficacious for the whole world. We make up for what is lacking in Christs sufferings. What is lacking? Our own suffering. We unite our own to His for specific purposes, or we let God choose (like in prayer below). Sometimes we offer for a specific purpose. Lent started yesterday so what an appropriate topic.