They remind us that suffering isn’t an end unto itself. When you (or I) are having a bad time, these words of St. He doesn’t control and take all negative outcomes away otherwise there would be no free will and no faith. But I do believe He allows suffering to happen. I don’t believe that God afflicts people so that they can build their character. If every outcome is known, then there is no opportunity to trust. Because faith, by its definition, is trusting not knowing the outcome of what you are trusting in. If you never suffer at all, then your faith really is never tested. Our Christian character is actually shaped through suffering. It got them the ultimate prize-heaven!Įvery battle, whether it is a small annoyance, or a life threatening illness, gives us an opportunity to live out these verses that St. I’ve seen people fight valiantly through suffering, only to lose their struggle, but in the struggle they found hope, and in hope they found Christ, and in finding Christ, they found their salvation. And the war is over the human condition that seeks to tear at our faith. I have seen people lost the battle but win the war however. And some have lost the battle with cancer. I’ve seen many people suffer with cancer. In fact, I’m thinking about several of them as I write today’s message. I’ve seen many people who have been diagnosed with serious illness. I don’t believe that this means we are supposed to go looking to suffer, but that when suffering comes our way, and it does for each of us, that when we approach suffering properly, it leads us to endurance, character, hope and ultimately Christ. In fact, Saint Paul goes so far as to tell us that he rejoices in his sufferings. Saint Paul says that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 3-5) In Saint Paul’s thinking, if hope in Jesus Christ is the ultimate destination, and suffering can be a step on the road to that hope, then suffering isn’t altogether a bad thing. Because he uses suffering and character in the same sentence, but he throws in some additional words that take focus off suffering and point us to something that transcends everything. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans as a teenager. So, suffering was seen by some as a virtue of some sort. The going phrase then was that “suffering produces character.” There was even a time when people believed that the only way to build character was to suffer. When I was a kid and I thought something unfair happened to me, as most kids do, I would complain about it. Romans 5:1-10 (Epistle of the Third Sunday) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. Since, therefore, we are now justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man-though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. Through Him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. Brethren, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |