Suffering Unleashes Love

As we begin Lent, a season of repentance and suffering, it is important to reflect upon the meaning of our suffering. Everyone experiences suffering in life; it is as common and necessary as the air we breathe. People drink from the bitter cup of suffering in varying amounts and to different degrees. Some are burdened with great physical suffering and pain that follows them all through life. Others have anguish and anxiety in their mind that they cannot seem to overcome. Regardless of who we are and the bodies and minds we are endowed with, we will taste suffering in this life.


While all would agree that this world would be a better place without suffering, the reality of suffering can be made positive. It is very appropriate that tomorrow, the first Sunday in Lent, we see the root and cause of all of our suffering brought into the world in the first reading (Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7). Adam and Eve were in perfect union with our Lord, they were living in a paradise with peace that none of us has ever known on earth. Through their temptation and fall, all evil and disorder was brought into our lives. It is now our choice of what to do with this suffering and pain that is a reality to us all.

“Suffering unleashes love”, said (recently announced) Blessed John Paul II when speaking about human suffering. I think what he may have meant is if Christ was to stop suffering through His passion, He would have stopped loving. Christ was earning our redemption through the suffering He experienced on the way to Calvary. It is in following Christ in this way that we are able to find meaning in our suffering. He is the person we are all striving to be, so to imitate Him in his suffering (and all things) is to be most fully human and alive.  My nightly short meditations on the Stations of the Cross is one small way to "wrap my mind around" His suffering and the reasons for it.

Through Lent we are following Christ on His journey towards the salvation of mankind. We offer up things we enjoy or add to our prayer lives to enter into Christ’s suffering, to become more like Him. In this a greater love than any other is made real as our suffering unleashes love and draws us closer to Jesus. We are able to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, to submit our will and desires to Christ.

Through the woman Eve, the man Adam, and the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world. Through the woman Mary, the man Jesus Christ, and the tree of His Holy Cross on Calvary, salvation was brought to all. The second reading (Rom 5:12-19) so eloquently reminds us of this truth. With His own Precious Blood, Jesus purchased for all freedom from the chains of sin bound tightly around all humanity through Adam and Eve.

We may be tempted by Satan in this difficult season to give up on our Lenten penances and prayers. Our human nature is weak, which we see in the fall of Adam and Eve in the first reading. However, our sacrifices will be rewarded in heaven in proportion to the suffering we endure in Christ’s name. By uniting our struggles with His, we can make present redemptive love. In the Gospel (Mt 4:1-11) we find yet another way that Christ entered into our humanity through His temptation in the desert. He gives us a strong model to follow, as in all that He does. It is important to notice how Satan even uses scripture in tempting Jesus, attempting to twist God’s own Holy Word against Him. We must be ever vigilant to discern when even the greatest goods in this world are used against us.

I must confess that after a phone call with Mom this evening and reading tomorrow’s Word to prepare for Mass that I feel like one of Satan’s pawns. Mom was relating to me how she may have taken on too much for Lent. She is worn out and anxious that she won’t be able to keep up with the extra prayers she promised to say. I was entirely too quick to tell her to “cut back, Jesus will understand”, instead of advising her in other ways that may help her schedule her prayers a little better so she gets them all in without feeling rushed or anxious. After all, one can never pray too much—as long as the prayers are said fervently. So on my agenda tomorrow is to try and be like Simon of Cyrene (below) and help her carry her cross for a bit.

During this season of great spiritual growth, may we all try to appreciate the true value of our suffering. May we pray more fervently that we can offer it to Christ and in so doing enter into His passion. Our salvation has been won for us in the perfect life of Jesus; in Him we can do all things. Let us follow His example in temptation, especially as we offer penance for our sins, so that our suffering may unleash His love in us.

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STATION 5
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Jesus, the soldiers are becoming impatient. This is taking longer than they wanted it to. They are afraid you won't make it to the hill where you will be crucified. As you grow weaker, they grab a man out of the crowd and make him help carry your cross. He was just watching what was happening, but all of a sudden he is helping you carry your cross.

As a child, sometimes I see people who need my help. Sometimes I pretend not to hear when my parents call me. I disappear when I know others could use my help.

As an adult, sometimes I try to do as little as I can and still get by. Others might need my help, but I ignore their needs. Even when I'm asked to help, I sometimes claim to be too busy.

My Jesus, blest, thrice blest was he who aided Thee to bear the cross. Blest too shall I be if I aid Thee to bear the cross, by patiently bowing my neck to the crosses Thou shalt send me during life. My Jesus, give me grace to do so.

Our Father....

Hail Mary....

Glory be to the Father....

Jesus Christ Crucified, have mercy on Us.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.

Amen.