From a Christian Perspective, Suffering is a Sign of God’s Patience With Us!
Fr. Hugh Gillespie, SMM
From a Christian Perspective, . . .
On the Fridays during Lent there is a sharp and clear note of the Passion in the readings.
The words in which the Gospel ends today is important. They tried to seize Him and put Him to death. But no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not come.
It is important to realize that Jesus is not a victim of circumstances. Jesus did not die because of the events that took place and He was not swept up in all of that. His death was not an accident. It was not avoidable on earthy terms. He came for this reason. He will lay down His life. The world did not take it from Him. It will come on the appropriate day, at the appropriate time, in the appropriate way. Why does He come into the world? He came to bear The Cross, by which He will save us. Every step in His life, is a step in the direction of The Cross. Hear more within the Homily.
The Gospel reading is amazing. The people wanted to capture the Lord and put Him to death. Why? That is covered within the Homily. But the people wanted to test the Lord. If they make Him suffer, God will rescue Him . . . if He is truly the Son of God.
. . . Suffering is a Sign of God’s Patience With Us!
We hear this during the Passion and at the foot of The Cross. The people say, if you are really the Son of God, if you are really the Christ, then save yourself. The people say the proof you are the Son, is if you do not suffer.
The irony is that is exactly the proof that Jesus is the Christ. It is the reason He came into the world. The ways of God are not our way. Hear more within the Homily.
Suffering Has Value Within This World
Suffering is a fact of life in this world. It is a fact, because man brought it upon himself by rejecting God and preferring to sin. We live in a world where pain exists. Suffering comes; death comes to us all.
The world sees no value or good in suffering. The world says when you suffer, you are no good to me. When you suffer you are merely a burden. In the eye of God, and from the Christian perspective, suffering has a great value. By the suffering, the Lord has chosen to redeem us. The patience in bearing the suffering is a sign of the patience of God.
From a Christian perspective, understand what value God sees in suffering. Listen to this Meditation Media.
And the Prayer of Faith Shall Save the Sick (St. James): English Painter: John Frederick Lewis: 1872
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From a Christian Perspective, Suffering is a Sign of God’s Patience With Us!
