Sunday, August 30, 2020

FROM SUFFERING TO SACRIFICE

 Reflection for 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Jer 20:7-9; Rm 12:1-2; Mt 16:21-27)

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