On The Subject of Suffering...

...It's something I chew on a lot, like a thick piece of grizzle I can't break it down into something digestible, I don't want to swallow it and I am uncomfortable spitting it out. 

I choke on phrases like:

• The privilege of suffering...
• The value of suffering...
• Suffering is a Gift from God...

Yeesh. I can see why people are afraid to follow, why they don't want to believe. Who wants to suffer? Answer: Not even Christ Himself. His prayer in the garden, on the eve of His passion?...

"Father, If you are willing take this cup from me..." Luke 22:42

Now that's a God who understands our suffering, a God who knows what it's like to be human.

The Saints understood suffering too. In fact the Early Church recognized the value of suffering so lucidly that when being a Christian was no longer punishable by death the Monastic Movement was born. Suffering was seen as so instrumental in moving closer to God that they were lost without it and literally drove themselves into the desert, choosing to remove themselves from the world and all it's comforts and "progress." 

As we prepare for the season of Lent we are called to take ourselves out of the world, to move closer to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Mysteriously, by accepting suffering, by choosing self-sacrifice, we are offered an opportunity to participate in the saving work of Christ...

Just how exactly does that work?

As I contemplated the question I was reminded of a framed newspaper article that hangs in the front office of our school. Like manna from heaven it dropped into my consciousness to sustain me in my own desert wanderings. It is a story about one of our students. 

 

 

 

His smiling face doesn't look like the countenance of cancer. But just a few months before graduation he learned he had a malignant tumor in his leg. Two weeks after his first scheduled chemo treatment was Senior Prom. In other words, at exactly same time his hair would start falling out.

In solidarity with their friend, dozens of students shaved their heads. Witness: One young man's pain borne by many and shared as a testimony to the world. As I held the framed photo in class one of my international students interrupted excitedly, "When I was in China I saw that story on the TV!!..." 

Unbelievable.

So here we have it, folks -- one beautiful boy bravely carries his cross with a smile on his face while others take on a small part of his pain as their own. Others still, take notice, and this ancient story is broadcast across the boundaries of time and space, secular and religious society, traveling across the globe itself--Testimony to the eternal mystery and power of the cross. 

Value. Privilege. Gift. Not the ordinary description for suffering. But remember: when looking from our perspective, everything appears upside down. It's time to stop standing on our heads and kicking at heaven. It's time, ladies and gentlemen, to stop our engines. Retreat. It's time to take ourselves out into the desert and say to our Father the prayer that never fails...

"Not my will, but Yours be done."  Luke 22:42

Mrs. Welch
Proclaiming Christ Crucified 

Homework (40 days worth!):

• Embrace a mystery.
• Come up with a Lenten Plan. Remember that it is a season of Conversion, of death-to-self. The Church encourages us to build this plan around the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The goal is to emerge in 40 days better, stronger... transformed. During this season we travel the path of our Savior, spanning the great distance from Take This Cup -to- Thy Will be Done. Surrender with Christ, and rise with Christ. Share in His death and resurrection, and Easter Sunday will be more of a celebration than ever before.
• If you are suffering, try offering it up as a gift to God. Allow Him to take the suffering and create something beautiful that blesses others. That's His specialty. But you have to let go. In this way you can walk closer to Christ than others, in fact, many report this is when they feel carried by Him.
• Additional reading - The Saints who've traveled the road before us have this to say on the subject of suffering:

"We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trial. ~St. Teresa of Avila

"The greatest honor God can do for a soul is not to give it much, but to ask much of it. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

"Suffering is the very best gift He has to give us. He gives it only to His chosen friends." ~ St. Therese of Lisieux 

• I found this prayer to be absolutely beautiful and I hope you do too...

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne and begged Him for one priceless gift that I could call my own.

I took the gift from out of His hand, but as I would depart; I cried, "But Lord, this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.

This is a strange and hurtful gift which Thou hast given me." He said, "My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee."

I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore, As long years past I learned at last to love it more and more.

I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace, He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil that hides his face.  

by Martha Snell Nicholson

Comments

[Christian LeBlanc]

Suffer and Learn.

Not sure if I've burdened you with this or not; if so please accept my confused apologies:

http://platytera.blogspot.com/2009/03/tv-and-lent.html

[Maureen Sroufe]

Thanks for this lesson in suffering. I will always look at things differently now. Although I had some suffering to endure, it has brought me closer to God. Once again Allison, you have done a great job and helped me on my journey.

[jerry]

Allison, thank you for another beautifully presented post. Andrew's story illustrates the loving concept of sharing the suffering -- taking part of the suffering from another's shoulders. I especially loved Will's comment: "If he can't have his hair, why should we?" It reminds me of that old saying: "If we all share what we have, we'll all have what we need". I never thought about this idea with regard to something like suffering, but I see how the idea works -- we share in our suffering and we all become stronger.

As you probably know, the Martha Snell Nicholson poem has a special meaning for me. It offers such comfort and healing and reminds me of God's unconditional love.

Thank you for sharing your soul. I'll be praying for you during this Lenten season. I love that Lent is about creating space for the Spirit, a quiet in which to hear God, a strengthened heart committed to setting things right with each other.

In God's love, jer...