Acts 18:9-18,
Psalm 47:2-3.4-5.6-7 (R. Sa),
John 16:20-23a Full Readings
From suffering to Joy
Today Jesus tells His Apostles: "A woman in childbirth suffers, because her time has come; but when she has given birth to the child she forgets the suffering in her joy that a man has been born into the world. So it is with you: you are sad now, but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you."
You will agree with me that suffering is real and part of life and that there is suffering for the right cause and wrong cause. For instance, suffering for the sake of Jesus and doing good is the right cause but suffering for the sins and atrocities we have committed is just paying for the wrong and we don't gain anything at the end. That's why the letter of St. Peter tells us that it's good to suffer for doing good and what God wants but not for doing wrong (1 Peter 3:17).
Suffering for the right cause is always with a reward. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In fact all good things and successes are as a result of hard work and out of sweat. After getting the reward we even forget what we went through, we get joy and happiness just like a woman who can no longer remember her labour pains when a newborn is shining on earth. This is what we get when we suffer for the sake of Jesus.
Most times when we are undergoing suffering, Does it mean we are not in God’s grace? Does it mean that God has left us? Or does it mean that we are doing something wrong? Certainly not. In fact we should withdraw inspiration from the life of Jesus Himself. All his life was full of anguish right from his temptations in the desert up to his death on the cross. Mother Mary too, suffered looking at His son die the way he died. We can't rule out the lives of saints and martyrs. They were full of suffering but look at their lives now: they are in heaven enjoying everlasting happiness. That's why Jesus says that the joy we shall have after this suffering, nobody will take it away from us. Our sufferings for the sake of Christ and for doing good will surely be transformed into everlasting joy.
Brethren, since suffering is in a way part of life, then we should choose suffering which we know that we shall have joy at the end. What do we gain if we suffer and lose everything: that's when we don't trust in Christ. But when we trust in Christ, whether we suffer or weep or be hated or killed while doing good, our sufferings will be turned to Joy. The choice is ours. Whether we trust in Christ or not we will have to suffer but those who suffer in Christ have a reward at the end.
Reflect today on your present sufferings and challenges of life which you are undergoing through. Reflect today also on the present situation of Corona Virus pandemic. Do you think God has left us? No. Jesus today gives us hope that our sufferings will be turned into everlasting joy. Therefore brethren, console your families, your friends and all the people in this time and give them this message of Hope which Jesus gives us today. God is with us and will never leave us alone up to the end. Let us trust him and surrender everything to him. Let us pray for the Graces we need to always see suffering for the right cause not as the end of life but a pass way to everlasting joy.
Let us pray.
My God, may my daily sufferings and challenges always remind me of the suffering of Your Son and give me hope that as he conquered everything and now sits on your right hand with perfect joy, I too will pass through all sufferings and have everlasting joy with you. Amen
Blessed Easter Season and don't forget to start Novena to the Holy Spirit today.
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