Get the Workbook | Facilitator Guide | The goal of the Christian life is to become like God, and Jesus’ most defining act of self-revelation was His offering of Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross. Among all religions of the world, Christianity alone places self-giving love above all else. Christianity alone teaches that an all-powerful God chose to enter the world humbly, offering empathy and compassion to all. And Christianity alone shows us that suffering (which will happen to us all if it has not already) is a way we can participate in the work of redemption. We can unite our suffering with Jesus’ suffering on the Cross and make a gift of it for the good of others, just like Jesus’ gift of unconditional love.
At the conclusion of this chapter, you will have completed this course on Apologetics. If you were not impressed or persuaded by the content, it does not mean your faith is weak, or that you should close yourself off from believing in the future. Faith is a gift from God who ultimately respects your freedom and hopes you will freely choose to accept His invitation to follow Him. If you do, it may mean you have some measure of happiness in this life, and you will be assured of perfect happiness for eternity.
In this episode you will learn that ...
■ By uniting our suffering with Jesus’ on the Cross, suffering takes on an entirely new meaning and significance by becoming redemptive for the sufferer and for others.
■ Among world religions, Christianity alone has made love central.
■ Suffering helps move us towards agapē, increasing empathy, humility, forgiveness, and compassion, in imitation of the highest expression of agapē, Christ’s self-sacrifice on the Cross.
■ If we have faith, we too can imitate Christ by offering our suffering to the Father as self-sacrifice to help in the work of redemption.
■ When suffering comes, we can respond by praying, using prudence and reason, and by reshaping our expectation of happiness.
About Fr Spitzer: Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 16, 1952, Fr. Spitzer is a Catholic priest in the Jesuit order and is currently the President of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith (magiscenter.com). The Magis Center produces documentaries, books, high school programs, college courses, adult-education programs, and social media materials on the close connection among science, reason, and faith. Fr. Spitzer is also the President, Master of Ceremonies, and speaker at the Napa Institute (napa-institute.org).