Sep 9 Tue
Should I accept suffering?
While some people think of Stoicism as a “cult of suffering,” that’s far from true, if you think of “cult” as worship or love of suffering for its own sake. The Stoics were concerned with peace of mind, which called for accepting suffering as part of our “fate” and part of the way we build necessary virtues. They accepted suffering, yet didn’t love to suffer, and that acceptance, they claimed, contributes to one’s peace of mind.
The gods of the Stoics were made of matter, like us. They believed that the suffering we endure is sent or permitted by the gods for our own sake; our mistake comes in thinking it’s an evil, and this destroys our peace.
What Stoicism lacked was an eternal and spiritual meaning to our suffering in this life. With no afterlife, suffering might help us be more virtuous in this life, but it could not lead to spiritual salvation and resurrection of the body.
St. Augustine particularly criticized the Stoics for their approval and even admiration of suicide. Catholic Christianity offered a better way to a true and final peace of mind.
In our day, Stoic resignation appeals to many who, lacking faith, have no hope of the great gifts of Christian surrender. Reading St. Augustine, especially his Confessions and seeing his guilt for his sins later transformed into faith, hope, and love, might help them open themselves to those gifts.
In the City of God, for Augustine, that city consists of the saints in Heaven and those whose earthly pilgrimage is still underway. These are the souls who have turned to God, worshipping and adoring Him.
By contrast, the Earthly City, sometimes called the city of man, is made of those who love themselves and orient their lives and choices accordingly, unconcerned with the divine.
The two cities on earth are intermixed. Earthly political communities – cities – host a mingling of the City of God and the Earthly City.
Thus, in this life, there is no barrier between the two cities, though there is a disconnection between eternity and time. And no political force, not even a Roman emperor, could breach the gap. Only God incarnate could, as He crossed the chasm to us.
Both cities have peace as their aim. The City of God has it in Heaven, and is moving towards it on earth: the final peace. The city of man also wants peace, if only to enjoy the temporal goods it prefers while despising the divine.
We are fortunate, says Augustine, if we live in a time and place where we can enjoy earthly peace.
But all of our attempts at progress will never make the earthly city into the City of God on earth. That making of all things new will only be complete at the end of time, through God’s choice, not our will. And while our efforts to improve our condition and reduce suffering for those around us are essential, our demand for earthly perfection is futile and even dangerous: it is not the end.