Fill Up What Is Wanting

'Completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions' (Ep. to Colossians, 1,24). This sounds mysterious, for of course, nothing was defective in what Our Lord suffered or otherwise did. He left nothing undone that He had come to do. What is meant is that He gave what had to be given, that is what was beyond the power of man to produce. He imparted divine value to our acts. Without that contribution of divine worth which proceeds from Him all our acts and prayers would have no more value than the wind blowing through the trees or the flying of a bird. He also suffered to pay much of what man would refuse to expatiate, but after that it was His policy to call on us to weigh in fully in every department of Life. For instance, we can give Faith, and it is something that is demanded from us; faith is the basis of the Christian system. We can also contribute other virtuous ingredients - effort, suffering, prayer; and so we are permitted and stimulated to supply those things and to the fullest possible extent. That idea of looking to us, and indeed requiring of us, to make our contribution towards Redemption is not a severity transaction - as if we were members of a chain gang or slaves where the task-master wants to get the last drop out of us. On the contrary, it is the noblest conception imaginable. We are moulded to the life of Christ here, rendered like unto Him in His earthly conditions, permitted to share every burden of His, privileged to playa real co-operative part of His Mission. As the author of a standard treatise on the Mystical Body observes: 'There is nothing in the life of Christ so personal as to exclude participation by His members therein'. We are thus formed into a one-ness with Him here on earth, so that later on we merge into His Heavenly state and share His divinity.

(Mary Shall Reign)

- 'Thinking in Christ'