Daily Retreat 09/10/07
2007 Sep 10 Mon
Col 1: 24 – 2: 3/ Ps 61(62): 6-7. 9/ Lk 6: 6-11
From today’s readings: “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.... In God is my safety and my glory.... I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Labor & Suffering
The mother who lovingly endures the great pains of labor to give birth, the rescue worker who risks his own life to save others, the missionary who embraces the most primitive living conditions to lead others to Christ, the doctor who painstakingly brings a critical patient through the most delicate surgery - all such examples prove that the fruits of labor can make even the most toilsome work well worthwhile.
But one of the most amazing claims of the Christian faith is that all human labor and suffering, whenever united to Christ’s labor and suffering, is valuable and salutary for that very reason, even when more concrete fruits are not apparent anywhere. Embracing the truth of this mystery, St. Paul had the audacity to write, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Body, which is the Church....”
Quite simply, the full Gospel cannot be preached without addressing the reality of human labor and suffering. St. Paul and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (the anniversary of whose death was observed last week - see http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/life.htm) both knew this well, and that’s why their lives were inspirational echos of the answer that Christ Himself lived in confronting sin and suffering.
The loving and saving passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is thus THE answer to human pain and suffering, but that can never be reduced to a superficial or glib answer - a trite sign that reads “Jesus is the answer!” neither comforts nor converts anyone, but a humble life of love and solidarity that proclaims and reveals Jesus in big ways and small ways is the most beautiful thing on earth, and even thus eternally, something beautiful for God!
Col 1: 24 – 2: 3/ Ps 61(62): 6-7. 9/ Lk 6: 6-11
From today’s readings: “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake.... In God is my safety and my glory.... I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”
Labor & Suffering
The mother who lovingly endures the great pains of labor to give birth, the rescue worker who risks his own life to save others, the missionary who embraces the most primitive living conditions to lead others to Christ, the doctor who painstakingly brings a critical patient through the most delicate surgery - all such examples prove that the fruits of labor can make even the most toilsome work well worthwhile.
But one of the most amazing claims of the Christian faith is that all human labor and suffering, whenever united to Christ’s labor and suffering, is valuable and salutary for that very reason, even when more concrete fruits are not apparent anywhere. Embracing the truth of this mystery, St. Paul had the audacity to write, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Body, which is the Church....”
Quite simply, the full Gospel cannot be preached without addressing the reality of human labor and suffering. St. Paul and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (the anniversary of whose death was observed last week - see http://www.ewtn.com/motherteresa/life.htm) both knew this well, and that’s why their lives were inspirational echos of the answer that Christ Himself lived in confronting sin and suffering.
The loving and saving passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is thus THE answer to human pain and suffering, but that can never be reduced to a superficial or glib answer - a trite sign that reads “Jesus is the answer!” neither comforts nor converts anyone, but a humble life of love and solidarity that proclaims and reveals Jesus in big ways and small ways is the most beautiful thing on earth, and even thus eternally, something beautiful for God!
posted by FrPitstick | 9/06/2007
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