To suffer for Christ is to become holy through his grace

The way to perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes. (CCC 2015).

Suffering in any manner of unpleasantness can become a path to the holiness we all seek if we are trying to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in the very element of his Passion. We must never think that because he was (is) God and could not feel human suffering, don’t forget he also is totally human and knows what human suffering is all about. One of the attributes of the Incarnation is to live as we must and show that he too is subject to human ridicule (of which he felt from the moment of his baptism) and the rejection of goodness that was his to give to all his sheep.

Before his Ascension Christ affirmed that the hour had not yet come for his glorious establishment of the messianic kingdom awaited by Israel which, according to the prophets, was to bring all men the definitive order of justice, love, and peace. According to the Lord, the present time is the time of the Spirit and of witness, but also a time still marked by “distress” and the trial of evil which does not spare the Church and ushers in the struggles of the last days. It is a time of waiting and watching. (CCC 672). This can also be identified as extreme suffering.

From the first letter of Peter; For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is grace. But what credit is there if you are patient when being beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. (1 Pt 2: 19 - 21).

When celebrating the remembrance of Christ’s Passion we need to reflect on why God instituted the Incarnation which led to the very Passion of our Savior. The Holy Trinity already convened the need to redeem humanity and the only way to accomplish this was for himself to pay the ransom for man’s sins. This could not be accomplished by a divine person suddenly appearing on earth and promising forgiveness if they would believe. With the obvious stubbornness of mankind God knew they would not accept such a far-out decision. Man only accepts the eradication of anything beyond himself when he realizes that suffering to the most extreme circumstances could be himself unless they take it to heart. It would take the three hours on the Cross with all the pain and constant ridicule Jesus suffered while bringing redemption to mankind that we would finally believe. Of course many still were incredulous until the Resurrection of Christ; then they believed.

Not too many of the saints got through life without suffering, some in the most crucial manner. Peter was crucified, at his quest, to be hung upside down. Paul lost his head after writing 13 letters or epistles promoting Christ as God. St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for speaking up for God and her mission as such. St. Thomas More went to the gallows for not adhering to the king’s marriage which was against the Church’s teaching. We could go on, but each of us may at some point be asked to suffer in ways we would not seek, but for the Truth of what Christ exemplified we might just follow the many before us who believe in suffering for the right cause is the grace of Almighty God.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (CCC 2029 - cf Mt 16: 24).

Ralph B. Hathaway