Many good, thought-provoking points here. It does emphasize an important shift in perspective (metanoia), which is much needed. Rather than passively 'waiting' for Christ to draw closer to us (in order to comfort us), we should be actively drawing closer to Him.
Yes. I think our tendency to talk about Christ coming along side of us in our suffering is to make our suffering primary. Our suffering is, of course, primary to us as something that is experienced by us, but it is not primary to God. The point isn't that Jesus suffered so that we have a friend who understands us, but, as you said, so we can become more like him (and I think you are right about the growth of asceticism filling in the gap of external suffering).
Also, you list Gregory twice as the Theologian and Nazianzus. Did you mean Nyssa?
Many good, thought-provoking points here. It does emphasize an important shift in perspective (metanoia), which is much needed. Rather than passively 'waiting' for Christ to draw closer to us (in order to comfort us), we should be actively drawing closer to Him.
Yes. I think our tendency to talk about Christ coming along side of us in our suffering is to make our suffering primary. Our suffering is, of course, primary to us as something that is experienced by us, but it is not primary to God. The point isn't that Jesus suffered so that we have a friend who understands us, but, as you said, so we can become more like him (and I think you are right about the growth of asceticism filling in the gap of external suffering).
Also, you list Gregory twice as the Theologian and Nazianzus. Did you mean Nyssa?
Whoops, just a brain fart!