Why We Suffer

Jun 12: Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

A lot of people condemned Monty Python's Life of Brian for being blasphemous, but I think it makes a clear distinction between the satirical title character and Jesus of Nazareth. This scene, depicting the Sermon on the Mount (where today’s Gospel reading comes from)—

Every time we hear this reading, or its equivalent from Luke, my wife says, “Blessed are the big noses?”

That might actually be blasphemous…

Reading 1

2 Cor 1:1-7

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the Church of God that is at Corinth, with all the holy ones throughout Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow. If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement.

Suffering, pain, death entered the world through sin, generally. But that doesn’t mean our specific, individual pain is the result of personal sin. It might simply be the result of chance or bad timing, which God has allowed for in our freedom.

Yet, God can and does bring good from evil. Suffering leads to empathy, which can encourage us to comfort others. But first, we seek comfort in God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The Psalmist is grateful to the Lord for answering his prayers. But it’s important to note that the he praised God before he was delivered.

Alleluia

Mt 5:12a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad;
for your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We can’t know how our life will go, but we do know, with God’s grace, how it will end up.

Gospel

Mt 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Chiara Lubich wrote “the beatitudes are not merely promises or encouragements but a reality. One who weeps can really find blessing in this very weeping.” What she means is that our suffering can bring us closer to Jesus’ on the cross. If life is free and easy, we might think that we deserve it, or worse, that we don’t need God.

It’s okay to seek comfort and grace from God; we don’t have to desire suffering. But it’s a part of our lives anyway. We can wallow in it, or can use it to bring about some good, as Paul wrote.