1.0. The Heart of Suffering
Suffering in the heart is the ‘heart’
of suffering; an agonizing heart knows no peace. The human heart and mind are
full of aspirations and visions. The extent to which we are attached to these
visions will determine the debt of our rejoicing or suffering if they are achieved
or not. Many people are burdened in different aspects of their lives. Sometimes, our ‘heartbreaks’ are brought upon us by others and situations we find
ourselves. Most times they originate from within us; from our wrong ideologies
and misplaced visions and aspirations. Yes, since the fall of man at the
beginning of creation, man suffers as he withdraws his heart in disobedience
from the will of God. Here is the ‘heart’ of suffering, and the heart that
suffers is that which is not in line with the will of God.
This is where we locate the
suffering of Prophet Jeremiah in the first reading as he battles to cooperate
with the will of God. Jeremiah became a sign of contradiction to himself, and a
laughingstock to the people. Since Jeremiah delivered the message that people
did not want to hear, he suffered mockery and shame. Within him, the word of God became a reproach
and derision, for when he says, ‘“I will not mention him, or speak any more in
his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” The suffering heart is healed
when it succumbs to the will of God.
2.0. From Suffering to Sacrifice
The human body and its pleasures
bring us a lot of suffering as they divert us away from the will of God. The
yearnings of the flesh, with its attraction to comfort, do not often align with
that of the Holy Spirit. This contradiction leads to self-agony, frustration,
stress and depression. As this ‘battle’
rages, time is wasted, energy is exhausted and resources are misused. Fear and
regret are left for the soul to chew! But the second reading of today suggests
a way out. St Paul suggests that we present our bodies as living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God. Once the body is offered in sacrifice, it can no
more bring contradiction to the soul. But, how can the body ought to be sacrificed?
St Paul answers, “Do not be conformed
to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may
prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” By
offering the body in sacrifice, what ought to have brought mere suffering is
connected to the will of God, from where peace of soul flows.
3.0. Take up your Cross
In the Gospel of today, Jesus surprises
his disciples as He informs them of his readiness to freely enter Jerusalem to
suffer, die and resurrect on the third day. We do everything we can to avoid
suffering, how can He see suffering and willingly embrace it, even to the point
of death? The most important thing for the human mind is self-preservation. But
Jesus demonstrates that the most important thing is the will of the Father, no
matter what it involves, even if it is suffering and death. Thus, Jesus goes
ahead of us on way of the Cross, where He nailed every suffering, conquered it
and brought life.
In Jesus is the fulfilment of the
will of the Father. The disobedience that brought suffering is conquered on the
Cross of Suffering through the obedience of Christ. In Jesus we learn how to
place the will of the Father over and above our heart desires and aspirations
and bodily comfort. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and
take up his cross and follow me.” And unless we follow Jesus, our suffering
cannot be sacrificed. We deny ourselves by placing the will of God revealed in
Jesus over and above our human desires and aspirations. We take up our cross by
getting actively involved in the situations of our lives, fulfilling our
responsibilities, facing challenges and bearing the burdens that come our way
as the will of God. Then, we follow Jesus with our burden by seeing it in faith
as our sharing in the Cross of Christ, locating our pains in His, and by
applying the righteousness of Jesus along the way as the challenges unfold.
This is how we find our life; wounds
give way to healing, and life overcomes death! When our suffering becomes the
will of God for us in Christ Jesus, we will never be frustrated or depressed
but we will continue to produce good works. The heart that surrenders to the
will of God will triumph over every suffering.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic
Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday August 30th, 2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
Thank you, Father, especially for the last sentence.
ReplyDeleteKudos Padre! Enriching!!!
ReplyDelete