In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul says something that has always bothered me, because I could never understand exactly what he meant. It made no sense to me! The very thought actually seemed ... heretical! It was something I struggled with every time I ran across it ...

"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 ..." Colossians 1:24

How could the sufferings of Christ be "lacking" in any way? He's God! His sacrifice suffices for all of us, for all time. He paid the ultimate price for our redemption, and He paid it in full.

As I pondered on that thought, yet again, a sudden burst of clarity brightened the dim recesses of my mind. There, where there was only confusion a moment before, was a thought - in its entirety - just waiting for me to unwrap it like a carefully decorated gift, and feast on the contents which had eluded me for so long ...

And this is what I "saw" ...

The sufferings of Christ are incomplete only in our response to Him. His sufferings, in themselves - on His part, are complete, because they were lived by God, Who is of Himself, perfection and completion, and everything He does is perfect and complete. What remains incomplete, then, is our response, our yes, our amen ... our acceptance of His self-annihilation on our behalf, and our joining of our own sufferings to His.

THAT is how we complete what is "lacking" in the afflictions of Christ. His part is done, and He could not have done more. Our part, our response, is all that's lacking ...

---

How could I not have seen that before? Ah Lord! Thank You for your Light ... and Your patience. Sometimes, we can be slow in understanding what You've given us, and what we should be giving You. Even the simplest thoughts evade us. You are the Bridegroom, the mystical body of the Church is Your bride. When You accomplished our redemption, it was the fulfillment of Your "I do!". Now the bride must reply with her own "I do!", and relinquish her minuscule everything into Your infinite completeness.

Amen Lord! We are Yours!