(Venerable Fulton J. Sheen—from Through the Year with Fulton Sheen):

“Does God know anything about pain? Does God know what I suffer? Did God every have a migraine headache as if his head was crowned with thorns? Does God know anything about the starvation in India an Africa? Did he ever go without food for two days? Or three? Or five? Does God know anything about homelessness? Was he ever without a home? Does he know what it is to be a refugee? To flee from one country to another? Does he know what it is to be in jail? To be the victim of scourging? Does God know any of these things? Yes. God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”

—Jesus chooses to endure the cross and to suffer so that we can have life.

—Jesus, embracing the Father’s will experiences, in the flesh, all that we endure, except sin. He is pure so we can become pure.

—Sacrificial love is powerful, and when we participate, we are renewed and thus, heal and save many lives following this model of our Lord’s sacrificial cross.

—Even though God does not desire suffering, nor was suffering or pain part of creation before the fall, God can use it to bring about a greater good.

At this point I was planning on continuing with this weekend’s homily on suffering and the cross, but will wait until Sunday. Until then, please know our Lord desires to share in every aspect of our lives and to reconcile and celebrate our lives as we participate in the ministry of Christ Jesus. (Saint Leo the Great, Pope): “And this is the reward they will receive for their love of God and neighbor; when their struggle with all temptation is finally over, there will be no further adversities to suffer or scandal to fear; but they will rest in the peace of God undisturbed, through our Lord who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and every.

Amen.” Pax—Fr. Vic
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