Salvifici Doloris 

On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering 

     In 1984, Saint Pope John Paul II wrote the Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris dealing with the topic of “the Christian meaning of human suffering”. 


     Since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, human beings have led lives of difficulty and suffering. Despite all our efforts, even the most rich and powerful among us, the most well-developed and technically advanced, and the greatest of world leaders – all people experience some form of suffering. At some point, everyone asks “why?” – why do we suffer so much? Even the most innocent among us, our little children, are often stricken with debilitating and fatal diseases that seem undeserved and make no sense to us. The suffering we experience is often enough to drive some people to despair and the complete rejection of God. In his Apostolic Letter, Saint Pope John Paul II tackles this heavy subject with his usual eloquence, intellect, and gentle style. 

Section I – Introduction 

     In this introduction, Pope John Paul II lays the groundwork for the subject by explaining that suffering is an aspect of the human condition and that the topic was addressed at the earliest stages of the Christian faith, notably by Saint Paul who not only lived a life of suffering, but explained and understood the redemptive value of human suffering, writing “In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church". The Pope also explains that the topic of suffering needs to be addressed because “…the Redemption was accomplished through the Cross of Christ, that is, through his suffering”1. 

Section II – The World of Human Suffering 

     In this section, the Pope explains that the condition of suffering is not often viewed as “something transferable”2 and that it is a many-faceted object. The usual way people view the topic is via physical pain and suffering, but to limit the understanding of human suffering to just this area would be to fail to truly understand human nature. Since we are both physical and spiritual creatures, we experience what the Pope calls physical suffering as well as moral suffering. We are better at dealing with and treating physical suffering with medicine and advances science than we are at handling those among us with moral suffering, called here “pain of the soul”. He also explains that this pain of the soul is distinct from psychological trauma. 
     Pope John Paul II then gives examples from scripture that demonstrate this condition that has been experienced through time and explaining that ancient languages didn’t have a unique word for suffering and instead linked it with evil. He further explains that suffering is linked with evil, even at an intrinsic level. 

Section III – The Quest for an Answer to the Meaning of Suffering 

     Man has always sought the answer to the great “why?” of his condition and suffering. Although animals experience pain as well, humans, explains the Pope, suffer in a unique way because only we have the ability to reflect inwardly and realize our suffering3. Questioning our condition also leads us to question why evil itself exists. Though the world is the cause of mans suffering, the question of why is always directed towards his fellow men and then ultimately, to 
God Himself. Because of the sensitive nature of this topic, the Pope explains that it must be dealt with correctly because it has often times led men to reject God. 
     Pope John Paul II then explains that God expects this question from us and has even dealt with it before in the past, most notably in the Book of Job. In explaining the trials of Job, the Pope explains that in Old Testament times, suffering was linked with punishment for transgression of God’s laws. While this can often be the case, the Pope goes on to explain “…it is not true that all suffering is a consequence of a fault and has the nature of a punishment.”4. He explains that suffering can also serve as a means of trial, penance and conversion, in order to bring someone closer to God. Ultimately though, we must turn to Christ to discover the “why” of suffering5. 

Section IV – Jesus Christ – Suffering Conquered by Love 

     Reflecting on the words of Christ to Nicodemus in which He said “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life", the Pope goes on to show that because of His love for us, God freely gave His Son to endure suffering on our behalf so that we wouldn’t perish. He explains that the ultimate suffering is this “perishing” spoken of by Christ – namely, the loss of eternal life. This loss of life is rooted in evil, sin, and death, which Christ overcame by His Resurrection. 

Section V – Sharers in the Suffering of Christ 

     Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully man, lived a life of suffering and it was through His suffering that we were redeemed. Going further, the Pope elaborates that not only has mankind been redeemed, but “human suffering itself has been redeemed”6. At this point, the Pope makes a massive point in the letter by saying “In bringing about the Redemption through suffering, Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the Redemption. Thus each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.”7. This is the heart of the message behind redemptive suffering. He cites numerous examples in the New Testament, especially from the lives of Saint Paul, the unification of suffering with the redemption of mankind. He explains that, “…sharing in the Cross of Christ comes about through the experience of the Risen One, therefore through a special sharing in the Resurrection.”8. Because Christ participated in human suffering, He opened the way for humans to participate in Shia suffering and thus be “capable of being infused with the same power of God manifested in Christ's Cross.”9 

Section VI – The Gospel of Suffering 

     The role of human suffering and its role in the redemption of mankind through the suffering of Christ is so intense of a theme throughout the New Testament and the lives of the early Christians, that Pope John Paul II goes so far as to describe them as a Gospel of Suffering, written by Our Redeemer Himself. 
     The Pope takes time here to reflect on the special role played by the Mother of Christ. Prophesied by Simeon that a sword would pierce her heart, Mary ”…at the side of Christ, in the first and most exalted place, there is always his Mother through the exemplary testimony that she bears by her whole life to this particular Gospel of suffering”10. 
     Likewise, beginning with the earliest Christians and continuing down the centuries, the followers of Christ have suffered for their faith and united their suffering with Christ. This bears 
witness to Him and His numerous warnings that we would suffer for His names sake. But by partaking in the sufferings of Christ and uniting our suffering with His, we find “..a source of joy in the overcoming of the sense of the uselessness of suffering”11. The realization that doing this enables us to “completes what is lacking in Christ's afflictions” and participating in the salvation of others through our suffering, enables the Christian to make sense of and embrace his condition. 

Section VII – The Good Samaritan 

     In this life we also realize that many of us suffer more than others. In this section, the Pope, using the example of the Good Samaritan, shows that when others are suffering more than us, our role and call to love our neighbor. We must be open and sensitive to the sufferings of others, having compassion, and, most importantly, taking action to help our neighbor, just as the Good Samaritan did. 

Section VIII – Conclusion 

     The Pope concludes his letter by reminding us that the mystery of suffering is tied up with human beings but made great through the redemption of Christ. 


     As we can see, the condition that we face as human beings is difficult, but not without meaning or purpose. Saint Pope John Paul II wanted to ensure that Christians throughout the world could learn to understand our suffering and the role it can play when we unite it with the redemptive power of Christ. Rather than being a judgement of condemnation for sin, our suffering can bring us and others closer to God. 

Footnotes 

1 John Paul II, Apostolic Letter on the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering, Salvifici Doloris (11 February 1984), §3 



2 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §5 


3 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §9 


4 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §11


5 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §13 


6 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §19


7 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §19


8 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §21 


9 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §23


10 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §25 


11 John Paul II, Salfivici Doloris, §27