St. Bede-St. Denis Parish Home

Dear brothers and sisters,

 

Suffering is part of life. It makes little sense to make our happiness depend upon never encountering pain along the way, because that would mean living in an illusion that simply cannot be sustained. Learning to face suffering in a truly human way is essential in a society that so often tries to disguise pain, pretending that it does not exist so that we do not have to face it with courage and depth, stripped of all our defenses and standing simply as we truly are.

 

Jesus rebuked Peter when he tried to lead Him away from the path of the Cross. He helped Peter understand that refusing to share the path of the Master meant distorting the truth of life and emptying God’s love of its meaning.

 

The Cross is the proof of the credibility of our God, a God who took very seriously what it means to be human. When we look at the Cross, we discover a God who is close to us, a God who understands us when suffering comes knocking at our door. On the Cross, Jesus gives meaning even during what appears meaningless. He offers us love to the very end, genuine forgiveness that heals resentment, and sincere welcome to the one who cries out for one final opportunity.

 

From the Cross, He gives us the greatest gift a Son possesses: His own Mother, so that we might never again feel alone. Nailed to the Cross, Jesus looks upon us in silence, revealing the greatness of a God who saves us through weakness. For this reason, we cannot disguise or hide the crosses of our own lives, because doing so would also mean overlooking the love God has for us. Suffering can bring out the worst in us, but it can also awaken what is most human, generous, and profound within qualities that sometimes remain asleep deep inside our hearts.

 

The Cross was Jesus’ great trial, and it is also the assurance that, in moments of uncertainty, we have beside us a God who loves us, accompanies us, understands us, listens to us, and welcomes us. To carry our own cross, as Jesus did, is the path of discipleship. It is also the way we can bear witness to others of that love which nothing and no one can ever take away from us.

 

Have a blessed Sunday!

 

 

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