Readings from the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
1. “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29). This question of Jesus and Simon Peter’s answer are located at the center of Saint Mark’s Gospel. That is, there is as much after it as before it. (The position of this passage is most likely not coincidental, Saint Matthew puts the same event at the center of his Gospel too.) Anyway, Jesus began by asking what other people were saying about Him. These were the crowds or others who may have simply heard about Jesus, or seen or heard Him a couple of times. The answers seem rather strange- He is Elijah, or John the Baptist, or one of the prophets.
2. The Jesus asked Simon Peter the same question “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter and the other disciples have spent a lot of time with Jesus. Their knowledge of Him was more intimate and personal. Simon Peter responded “You are the Christ.”
3. We should not underestimate the importance of this question which Jesus asks. It is not as if our answer determines who Jesus is in reality. He is Lord and Christ whether anyone believes it or not. The importance is in whether we actually know who Jesus really is. In the present age, as in the ages past, there are many opinions of who Jesus actually is. And not all these opinions are equal.
4. For example, various groups claim that they believe in Jesus. Certainly they believe that Jesus was a real person and that Mary is His mother. Furthermore they view Him as a great prophet and important person. But they do not believe that Jesus is Lord and God.
5. Other people view Jesus as a human being who became god. (John says the the Word became flesh (John 1:14) NOT the "flesh became Word." Some say that God pretended to be a human in Jesus. Some will say that Jesus was a nice guy who was just misunderstood. Others consider Him a great moral teacher or even a political radical burning with the desire for justice and intent of casting down the Romans as well as the religious leaders of His day. There are some who only know Jesus as a curse word. And others who basically see Him as a vending machine- you go to Him when you need something, but you avoid Him otherwise.
6. But these views of Jesus are either incomplete, or completely wrong. Just like our knowledge of any other person, in order to get the clearest picture of the truth we must have both intellectual knowledge and personal knowledge of Jesus.
7. Intellectual knowledge is gained through study. Human beings are intellectual creatures, and so we must study or our minds become starved. Study is a combination of humble acceptance and reception of the Tradition and critical thought, even questioning in order to arrive at a better understanding of the truth. In order to feed our intellectual needs, we must study the Bible and the teachings of the Church. When we were in the seminary, our seminary rector told us “study hard and learn the truth. If you do not know your faith or how to answer, the people will go down the street and find someone else who does.” The next year the priest professor of Scripture said "study or you will go to Hell." The need for study and intellectual development of our faith applies to all of us. We are all witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith. Therefore we owe it to ourselves and those whom Jesus has called us to evangelize to continue to learn. We must confront the mystery of Jesus Christ, True God and True Man and strive to gain an intellectual understanding of the Person of the Son of God who became One of us.
8. Knowledge of Jesus, however, is not merely knowing about Jesus. We must know Jesus as a Person. The only way to obtain that is through pray and the sacraments. In prayer, we can enter into a conversation with our Lord that is personal and intimate. It is true that our Lord already knows us through and through, but He is also waiting to reveal Himself more deeply to us in prayer.
9. In the sacraments, our Lord comes to us mysteriously through signs that carry real power. Even if our intellect is not the greatest, even if our prayer life is dry, we can encounter our Lord in the Sacraments and get to know Him there.
10. In the task of knowing who Jesus is, humility is key. We cannot just be satisfied with our own understanding of who He is. Peter tried to stick to His understanding of God and Jesus called him a “Satan” that is, an adversary. How can we avoid such a charge? We must accept Jesus on the Cross. We must know Him on the cross. We must be united with Him on the Cross. Then we will know the real Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.
Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suffering. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
He Has Done All Things Well!
See Mark 7:31-37
1. He has done all things well, He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak! We can only imagine the stir which Jesus caused in the region of the Decapolis with His healing power. Those who previously had been unable to hear or speak were now given the power to communicate clearly with others. Those who were blind could see, those who were lame could now walk. Certainly if Jesus came here and did these same things in our midst we would be astounded too. Although we are used to the marvels of modern medicine, there are some things which pills and surgery simply cannot heal. And even if they could, the monetary cost or even just the rehab time can cause us some fear. So if someone had the gift of making all that suffering go away, we would probably be right there.
2. We should note that even in those days, God gave the gift of healing to various people. So it was not completely unknown that someone might exercise healing power. In that small respect Jesus was not completely unique. And yet scripture says that the people were completely astounded by His actions. Something about the life and behavior of Jesus was astonishing and separated Him from all the others who might have been in the public view.
3. We know and believe that Jesus is the Living Word of God- God Himself made manifest to the world. But people in those days did not yet have the benefit of this faith. When they saw Jesus, He appeared in every way to be human, which indeed Jesus is, as well as being the all powerful God. The miracles (or signs as they should be more properly called) were meant not only to draw people’s attention to our Lord, but also to help them remember the words of the prophets which intended to prepare them for the Messiah. In Isaiah we heard: Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.
4. The healings which Jesus performed began to fulfill the words of the prophets. They also began to reveal who Jesus is. When our Lord rose from the dead and the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples, then they were able to remember what had happened and their faith was strengthened. And as they went forth in the world to proclaim the good news of salvation, the words of the prophet “Fear not!” resonated with the words of Jesus to “be not afraid” as they encountered those who did not want to believe and who instead wanted to persecute those who follow Jesus.
5. In the present time, Jesus continues to pour out His healing power upon the Church. There are in fact, many who have been blessed with the grace of healing power. And it is perfectly okay for us to seek and beg God’s mercy to be bestowed upon us in the way of healing. At the same time, we ought to remember that these acts of our Lord were signs of something much more profound. The physical healings that our Lord performed were all temporary. Yet the Salvation from sin that He obtained for us is something that truly lasts. If we think about it, healing from sin is far more astonishing. Whenever I go to confession and admit my sins, I am truly humbled that God in His mercy always forgives and takes me back. In my ministry of Confession, I get to observe many people returning to the Lord. The healing and strengthening of God is clearly present. And sin is permanently destroyed in this sacrament.
6. An interesting aspect of Jesus’ ministry is that when He healed people, He often times instructed them to tell no one. Of course they did not listen to Him, but it makes you think? Why did Jesus do that? Wouldn’t He want to attract this kind of attention? Maybe its because here people are declaring he has done all things well!!! Jesus knew that it would not be long before the crowds would shout Crucify Him! and even His friends would leave Him. But in those moments of loneliness and suffering, our Lord’s love is at its deepest and His power over sin actually reaches its greatest magnitude. Until we know the Jesus who emptied Himself on the cross for our sake, we will never know Him as the Healer who does all things well.
1. He has done all things well, He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak! We can only imagine the stir which Jesus caused in the region of the Decapolis with His healing power. Those who previously had been unable to hear or speak were now given the power to communicate clearly with others. Those who were blind could see, those who were lame could now walk. Certainly if Jesus came here and did these same things in our midst we would be astounded too. Although we are used to the marvels of modern medicine, there are some things which pills and surgery simply cannot heal. And even if they could, the monetary cost or even just the rehab time can cause us some fear. So if someone had the gift of making all that suffering go away, we would probably be right there.
2. We should note that even in those days, God gave the gift of healing to various people. So it was not completely unknown that someone might exercise healing power. In that small respect Jesus was not completely unique. And yet scripture says that the people were completely astounded by His actions. Something about the life and behavior of Jesus was astonishing and separated Him from all the others who might have been in the public view.
3. We know and believe that Jesus is the Living Word of God- God Himself made manifest to the world. But people in those days did not yet have the benefit of this faith. When they saw Jesus, He appeared in every way to be human, which indeed Jesus is, as well as being the all powerful God. The miracles (or signs as they should be more properly called) were meant not only to draw people’s attention to our Lord, but also to help them remember the words of the prophets which intended to prepare them for the Messiah. In Isaiah we heard: Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.
4. The healings which Jesus performed began to fulfill the words of the prophets. They also began to reveal who Jesus is. When our Lord rose from the dead and the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples, then they were able to remember what had happened and their faith was strengthened. And as they went forth in the world to proclaim the good news of salvation, the words of the prophet “Fear not!” resonated with the words of Jesus to “be not afraid” as they encountered those who did not want to believe and who instead wanted to persecute those who follow Jesus.
5. In the present time, Jesus continues to pour out His healing power upon the Church. There are in fact, many who have been blessed with the grace of healing power. And it is perfectly okay for us to seek and beg God’s mercy to be bestowed upon us in the way of healing. At the same time, we ought to remember that these acts of our Lord were signs of something much more profound. The physical healings that our Lord performed were all temporary. Yet the Salvation from sin that He obtained for us is something that truly lasts. If we think about it, healing from sin is far more astonishing. Whenever I go to confession and admit my sins, I am truly humbled that God in His mercy always forgives and takes me back. In my ministry of Confession, I get to observe many people returning to the Lord. The healing and strengthening of God is clearly present. And sin is permanently destroyed in this sacrament.
6. An interesting aspect of Jesus’ ministry is that when He healed people, He often times instructed them to tell no one. Of course they did not listen to Him, but it makes you think? Why did Jesus do that? Wouldn’t He want to attract this kind of attention? Maybe its because here people are declaring he has done all things well!!! Jesus knew that it would not be long before the crowds would shout Crucify Him! and even His friends would leave Him. But in those moments of loneliness and suffering, our Lord’s love is at its deepest and His power over sin actually reaches its greatest magnitude. Until we know the Jesus who emptied Himself on the cross for our sake, we will never know Him as the Healer who does all things well.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Problem of Death
1. God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living (Wisdom 1:13).
2. The problem of evil, suffering and death imposes itself on each one of us eventually. For some people in the modern world, the reality of suffering is enough to convince them that God does not exist. They might say "if there was a God, He would certainly not let this thing happen"... whatever it is. Such a statement does not really disprove the existence of a Supreme Being. Maybe those who deny God’s existence see suffering as proof that the universe is irrational and meaningless. Of course, how then could one reason to that conclusion? But not to get sidetracked.... Maybe those who deny God are just treating Him like they would any other relative or acquaintance who they perceive is offensive- they simply ignore Him.
3. The biblical view of suffering and death however is that God did not create it. (The book of Wisdom (1:13-15; 2:23-24) reiterates the book of Genesis (first two chapters) in reminding us that creation is essentially good because it has being. God created all things and declared them good. Death, however, is the result of sin (the envy of the devil and the disobedience of Adam and Eve)- that is the failure to do God’s will. Saint Augustine would say that evil then was the lack of some aspect of goodness which God had created and intended. For example, illness is the lack of health. Hunger is the lack of nutrition. Sorrow is the lack of joy. Death is the lack of life. Since God made all human beings in His image and likeness, to have being, to exist, to live is God’s most basic intention for us. Only through failure to live in God’s image and likeness can death intrude.
4. The book of Wisdom continues by saying they who belong to his (the devil's) company experience death (Wisdom 2:24). This is not to say that since everyone is dying that we are all in the company of the devil. But rather It was the wicked who with hands and words invited death, considered it a friend, and pined for it, and made a covenant with it (Wisdom 1:16). Those who follow the devil will experience the second death of being permanently alienated from their true destiny which is union with God.
5. God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the death of the living. Rather, our Lord confronted suffering and death in His earthly life. He healed the sick and raised the dead back to life. On the one hand, these miracles were signs of who Jesus is- that is the all powerful God- and signs of the salvation He won for us- namely the ultimate freedom from these evils which His death and resurrection obtained for us. These signs are evidence to us that God does not rejoice in our destruction. Our Lord permits us to suffer because it is the result of free will. But at the same time, our Lord opposed death and still opposes it.
6. Our Lord has a healing will, but not everyone who saw Him or touched Him was healed. In Mark 5, The disciples noticed that many touched Jesus, but only one was healed of her illness. Likewise, many people in those days had one of their children die. But not all did Jesus bring back to this life. What was the difference? Did Jesus freely decide to heal that one and let another suffer and die? That is not how the Bible portrays His ministry. The difference is in those who turned to Him in need. The woman with the hemorrhage believed and trusted that Jesus had the power to heal her. Even though circumstances looked bad, the synagogue official trusted that Jesus could heal his daughter. Their trust was more powerful than their sorrow and suffering. And as a result of their faith, they received the healing which they ardently desired.
7. The lesson which Saint Mark is trying to teach is that we must believe and trust in Jesus, putting fear aside, if we want to experience His power in our lives. Others may ridicule us- no matter. Others may appear to be doing exactly what we are, but with no effect- we cannot let that stop us from trusting.
8. Of course, many of us may have prayed sincerely and trustingly for a healing which we have not obtained. Does that mean we just do not have enough faith? We might not, but the failure to receive the miracle is not an indication of our lack of faith. (We ought to remember that Abraham and Sarah had to wait 24 years for God’s promise of a son.) Jesus’ conquered death, but He did more. He changed its meaning. Our suffering makes us like Him (that is, suffering and death can make us more like Jesus Christ). By changing death, Jesus made death different not just for those who would believe in Him later, but even for all those who lived before His time. All have the offer of union with Christ the Lord. Only those who reject Jesus and His passion, death and resurrection truly experience death in all its horror and emptiness.
9. In the Sacrament of the Sick, many times people are healed of their illness. But much more often they are healed spiritually or morally. And this kind of healing is far more important than physical healing because it can last forever. But we have to trust, for God will not force His love upon us. Nor will Jesus make us live in the home of His Father if we do not want it. No, we must put ourselves into His hands. Do not be afraid; just have faith! (Mark 5:36).
2. The problem of evil, suffering and death imposes itself on each one of us eventually. For some people in the modern world, the reality of suffering is enough to convince them that God does not exist. They might say "if there was a God, He would certainly not let this thing happen"... whatever it is. Such a statement does not really disprove the existence of a Supreme Being. Maybe those who deny God’s existence see suffering as proof that the universe is irrational and meaningless. Of course, how then could one reason to that conclusion? But not to get sidetracked.... Maybe those who deny God are just treating Him like they would any other relative or acquaintance who they perceive is offensive- they simply ignore Him.
3. The biblical view of suffering and death however is that God did not create it. (The book of Wisdom (1:13-15; 2:23-24) reiterates the book of Genesis (first two chapters) in reminding us that creation is essentially good because it has being. God created all things and declared them good. Death, however, is the result of sin (the envy of the devil and the disobedience of Adam and Eve)- that is the failure to do God’s will. Saint Augustine would say that evil then was the lack of some aspect of goodness which God had created and intended. For example, illness is the lack of health. Hunger is the lack of nutrition. Sorrow is the lack of joy. Death is the lack of life. Since God made all human beings in His image and likeness, to have being, to exist, to live is God’s most basic intention for us. Only through failure to live in God’s image and likeness can death intrude.
4. The book of Wisdom continues by saying they who belong to his (the devil's) company experience death (Wisdom 2:24). This is not to say that since everyone is dying that we are all in the company of the devil. But rather It was the wicked who with hands and words invited death, considered it a friend, and pined for it, and made a covenant with it (Wisdom 1:16). Those who follow the devil will experience the second death of being permanently alienated from their true destiny which is union with God.
5. God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the death of the living. Rather, our Lord confronted suffering and death in His earthly life. He healed the sick and raised the dead back to life. On the one hand, these miracles were signs of who Jesus is- that is the all powerful God- and signs of the salvation He won for us- namely the ultimate freedom from these evils which His death and resurrection obtained for us. These signs are evidence to us that God does not rejoice in our destruction. Our Lord permits us to suffer because it is the result of free will. But at the same time, our Lord opposed death and still opposes it.
6. Our Lord has a healing will, but not everyone who saw Him or touched Him was healed. In Mark 5, The disciples noticed that many touched Jesus, but only one was healed of her illness. Likewise, many people in those days had one of their children die. But not all did Jesus bring back to this life. What was the difference? Did Jesus freely decide to heal that one and let another suffer and die? That is not how the Bible portrays His ministry. The difference is in those who turned to Him in need. The woman with the hemorrhage believed and trusted that Jesus had the power to heal her. Even though circumstances looked bad, the synagogue official trusted that Jesus could heal his daughter. Their trust was more powerful than their sorrow and suffering. And as a result of their faith, they received the healing which they ardently desired.
7. The lesson which Saint Mark is trying to teach is that we must believe and trust in Jesus, putting fear aside, if we want to experience His power in our lives. Others may ridicule us- no matter. Others may appear to be doing exactly what we are, but with no effect- we cannot let that stop us from trusting.
8. Of course, many of us may have prayed sincerely and trustingly for a healing which we have not obtained. Does that mean we just do not have enough faith? We might not, but the failure to receive the miracle is not an indication of our lack of faith. (We ought to remember that Abraham and Sarah had to wait 24 years for God’s promise of a son.) Jesus’ conquered death, but He did more. He changed its meaning. Our suffering makes us like Him (that is, suffering and death can make us more like Jesus Christ). By changing death, Jesus made death different not just for those who would believe in Him later, but even for all those who lived before His time. All have the offer of union with Christ the Lord. Only those who reject Jesus and His passion, death and resurrection truly experience death in all its horror and emptiness.
9. In the Sacrament of the Sick, many times people are healed of their illness. But much more often they are healed spiritually or morally. And this kind of healing is far more important than physical healing because it can last forever. But we have to trust, for God will not force His love upon us. Nor will Jesus make us live in the home of His Father if we do not want it. No, we must put ourselves into His hands. Do not be afraid; just have faith! (Mark 5:36).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Meaning of Suffering
Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, year B.
1. Job was an upright man whom the Lord permitted to be tested through personal disaster, the death of his children, and through grave illness. Although Job strove to remain righteous by recognizing everything that he had was a gift from God, he nevertheless arrived at the point which we hear about in the first reading. The days were going by fast, the nights slowly. We may have the benefit of all kinds of technology, but Job’s experience is a universal human experience of suffering. We too may have had times in which the seconds seem to drag by, but the days pass all too quickly and there is no rest from our troubles.
2. The problem of suffering of whatever kind is the subject matter of the book of Job. The friends of Job try to convince him that he is guilty of some sin. Shall you say: "My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your sight"? But oh, that God would speak, and open his lips against you, And tell you that the secrets of wisdom are twice as effective: So you might learn that God will make you answer for your guilt (Job 11:4-6) But Job cannot identify any such sin. When Job breaks down and asks God to explain why things are the way they are, God does not answer his question. Instead God asks Job to explain the universe, which of course Job cannot. In the end of the Book, God restores Job to his previous happiness. The philosophical conclusion of the book is that suffering is a mystery not fully comprehensible.
3. At the time of Jesus most people held that illness and other disastrous problems were a direct result of sin, much like the friends of Job tried to convince him. Jesus does not denounce all of this kind of thinking, but neither does He go with it. (To the Paralyzed man, Jesus said your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5); but regarding the man born blind Jesus said Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him (John 9:3) As Catholics, we believe that in the big picture, suffering entered the world through sin. Nevertheless not all suffering is the result of a particular sin. As human beings however, we must admit that we often try to explain our suffering in that regard. We ask God “Why me? What did I do to deserve this...?” And there is not always an answer. It is true that God permits the suffering. Nothing continues to exist without at least God’s silent permission. But He does not cause it. Scripture says Because God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living (Wisdom 1:13).
4. With the advent of Jesus, however, suffering undergoes a change. When Jesus confronts suffering or illness, He heals the person. Regardless of what is the cause, sin or a natural problem, He heals it, such as He did for Simon Peter’s mother in law and all the others who came to the house (see Mark 1:29-34). Jesus’ mercy went out to those who were oppressed or possessed by evil spirits. It only took a word from Him and the demons left people alone.
5. When we read of these miraculous healings we might be amazed. In our modern, scientific manner we might be convinced that there are perfectly natural explanations to all these miracles. But miracles still happen. I saw someone on her deathbed with cancer. Her organs were failing, her skin color was bright orange, and she burning up with the fever that often precedes death. I anointed her and left fully expecting to never see her alive again. But two weeks later she was back in Church completely well and no trace of cancer in her body.
6. Likewise I knew someone so oppressed by evil that even saying the prayer Come Holy Spirit caused him great distress, and being sprinkled with Holy Water made him become as stiff as a board. Yet later, through the power of Jesus he was freed from the oppression and able to praise God freely.
7. The change that overtook suffering when Jesus appeared is not simply that He exercised authority and power to free people from their pain and sorrow and shared that power with others. Rather Jesus , in His own Passion and Death Jesus gave suffering a new meaning. Previously, suffering was for the most part a sign of sin, a result of the Fall of Adam and Eve. But now, it has become a means of being united with God. It does not indicate that suffering is never the result of sin, it means that Jesus has taken the curse and turned it into a blessing because in our crosses, we become like Jesus Himself.
8. Our world is in great need of the transformation of suffering. The suffering of the innocent often leads to people rejecting God, whereas in Christ we can turn to God for healing. And despair over suffering has lead many people to embrace such sins as suicide and euthanasia. I am not speaking only in terms of their interior acceptance, but in practice. For example in some places, it is possible for a doctor to administer poisons to an elderly or sick person. Such attitudes and behavior have severe consequences for our society. Could a doctor remain committed to health if he or she regularly administered death? Would not the insurance industry be tempted to require the death of certain types of patients in order to avoid costly treatment? (It has not happened, but what if it did?) And what would happen to us, if we as Christians rejected the Cross or refused our share in the cross of Christ? (Make no mistake that is what it would be. ) Would our sufferings truly be over because we avoided them in this world? Are we to become so short sighted that we would fail to see the big picture of eternity? We are not made only for this life, but forever.
9. On the other hand, those who unite themselves to Christ, even if they suffer have hope, for there is nothing which can separate from God’s love in Jesus Christ. There is hope that the Lord can cure us, and He can. But there is still hope if the Lord chooses to delay our healing until the resurrection on the Last Day, when every tear will be wiped away. Suffering is indeed a mystery, but it is not without meaning and grace. The cross is the instrument of our salvation and it is the means of our union with the entire Jesus Christ. Through Christ, through His passion and death, suffering has been transformed into power and thus been overcome.
1. Job was an upright man whom the Lord permitted to be tested through personal disaster, the death of his children, and through grave illness. Although Job strove to remain righteous by recognizing everything that he had was a gift from God, he nevertheless arrived at the point which we hear about in the first reading. The days were going by fast, the nights slowly. We may have the benefit of all kinds of technology, but Job’s experience is a universal human experience of suffering. We too may have had times in which the seconds seem to drag by, but the days pass all too quickly and there is no rest from our troubles.
2. The problem of suffering of whatever kind is the subject matter of the book of Job. The friends of Job try to convince him that he is guilty of some sin. Shall you say: "My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your sight"? But oh, that God would speak, and open his lips against you, And tell you that the secrets of wisdom are twice as effective: So you might learn that God will make you answer for your guilt (Job 11:4-6) But Job cannot identify any such sin. When Job breaks down and asks God to explain why things are the way they are, God does not answer his question. Instead God asks Job to explain the universe, which of course Job cannot. In the end of the Book, God restores Job to his previous happiness. The philosophical conclusion of the book is that suffering is a mystery not fully comprehensible.
3. At the time of Jesus most people held that illness and other disastrous problems were a direct result of sin, much like the friends of Job tried to convince him. Jesus does not denounce all of this kind of thinking, but neither does He go with it. (To the Paralyzed man, Jesus said your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5); but regarding the man born blind Jesus said Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him (John 9:3) As Catholics, we believe that in the big picture, suffering entered the world through sin. Nevertheless not all suffering is the result of a particular sin. As human beings however, we must admit that we often try to explain our suffering in that regard. We ask God “Why me? What did I do to deserve this...?” And there is not always an answer. It is true that God permits the suffering. Nothing continues to exist without at least God’s silent permission. But He does not cause it. Scripture says Because God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living (Wisdom 1:13).
4. With the advent of Jesus, however, suffering undergoes a change. When Jesus confronts suffering or illness, He heals the person. Regardless of what is the cause, sin or a natural problem, He heals it, such as He did for Simon Peter’s mother in law and all the others who came to the house (see Mark 1:29-34). Jesus’ mercy went out to those who were oppressed or possessed by evil spirits. It only took a word from Him and the demons left people alone.
5. When we read of these miraculous healings we might be amazed. In our modern, scientific manner we might be convinced that there are perfectly natural explanations to all these miracles. But miracles still happen. I saw someone on her deathbed with cancer. Her organs were failing, her skin color was bright orange, and she burning up with the fever that often precedes death. I anointed her and left fully expecting to never see her alive again. But two weeks later she was back in Church completely well and no trace of cancer in her body.
6. Likewise I knew someone so oppressed by evil that even saying the prayer Come Holy Spirit caused him great distress, and being sprinkled with Holy Water made him become as stiff as a board. Yet later, through the power of Jesus he was freed from the oppression and able to praise God freely.
7. The change that overtook suffering when Jesus appeared is not simply that He exercised authority and power to free people from their pain and sorrow and shared that power with others. Rather Jesus , in His own Passion and Death Jesus gave suffering a new meaning. Previously, suffering was for the most part a sign of sin, a result of the Fall of Adam and Eve. But now, it has become a means of being united with God. It does not indicate that suffering is never the result of sin, it means that Jesus has taken the curse and turned it into a blessing because in our crosses, we become like Jesus Himself.
8. Our world is in great need of the transformation of suffering. The suffering of the innocent often leads to people rejecting God, whereas in Christ we can turn to God for healing. And despair over suffering has lead many people to embrace such sins as suicide and euthanasia. I am not speaking only in terms of their interior acceptance, but in practice. For example in some places, it is possible for a doctor to administer poisons to an elderly or sick person. Such attitudes and behavior have severe consequences for our society. Could a doctor remain committed to health if he or she regularly administered death? Would not the insurance industry be tempted to require the death of certain types of patients in order to avoid costly treatment? (It has not happened, but what if it did?) And what would happen to us, if we as Christians rejected the Cross or refused our share in the cross of Christ? (Make no mistake that is what it would be. ) Would our sufferings truly be over because we avoided them in this world? Are we to become so short sighted that we would fail to see the big picture of eternity? We are not made only for this life, but forever.
9. On the other hand, those who unite themselves to Christ, even if they suffer have hope, for there is nothing which can separate from God’s love in Jesus Christ. There is hope that the Lord can cure us, and He can. But there is still hope if the Lord chooses to delay our healing until the resurrection on the Last Day, when every tear will be wiped away. Suffering is indeed a mystery, but it is not without meaning and grace. The cross is the instrument of our salvation and it is the means of our union with the entire Jesus Christ. Through Christ, through His passion and death, suffering has been transformed into power and thus been overcome.
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