Suffering with Jesus into joy
SUFFERING WITH JESUS
Romans 8:11-17
Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Christ Jesus, I rise with Him...
Call it ‘pain’, call it ‘hurt’, call it ‘rejected’ or ‘loneliness’, call it what you will, it is all suffering – of the kind Jesus experienced in his own life. When I suffer, I am tempted to slink into a corner, lick my wounds and withdraw into personal problem solving, or to complain anxiously to those around me as I attempt to right all that I perceive to be wrong around me. But Jesus calls me to share my suffering with him, as he shares his own suffering with me. As I vacate my own little corner and suffer with Christ Jesus, and with Him in others, I find my own challenges to be transformed. Indeed, no matter what hurt, what rejection, what injustice, what discomfort I experience, with Jesus I am able to rise above the pain and inconvenience of the moment, and live into my heritage of Life, Light and Love as a beloved child of God. Am I prepared to join my suffering with Christ Jesus? Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Jesus, I rise again.
Romans 8:11-17
Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Christ Jesus, I rise with Him...
Call it ‘pain’, call it ‘hurt’, call it ‘rejected’ or ‘loneliness’, call it what you will, it is all suffering – of the kind Jesus experienced in his own life. When I suffer, I am tempted to slink into a corner, lick my wounds and withdraw into personal problem solving, or to complain anxiously to those around me as I attempt to right all that I perceive to be wrong around me. But Jesus calls me to share my suffering with him, as he shares his own suffering with me. As I vacate my own little corner and suffer with Christ Jesus, and with Him in others, I find my own challenges to be transformed. Indeed, no matter what hurt, what rejection, what injustice, what discomfort I experience, with Jesus I am able to rise above the pain and inconvenience of the moment, and live into my heritage of Life, Light and Love as a beloved child of God. Am I prepared to join my suffering with Christ Jesus? Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Jesus, I rise again.
Gospel Mystery of the Day
Monday, October 30, 2017
Romans 8:11-17
Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Christ Jesus, I rise with Him...
Call it ‘pain’, call it ‘hurt’, call it ‘rejected’ or ‘loneliness’, call it what you will, it is all suffering – of the kind Jesus experienced in his own life. When I suffer, I am tempted to slink into a corner, lick my wounds and withdraw into personal problem solving, or to complain anxiously to those around me as I attempt to right all that I perceive to be wrong around me. But Jesus calls me to share my suffering with him, as he shares his own suffering with me. As I vacate my own little corner and suffer with Christ Jesus, and with Him in others, I find my own challenges to be transformed. Indeed, no matter what hurt, what rejection, what injustice, what discomfort I experience, with Jesus I am able to rise above the pain and inconvenience of the moment, and live into my heritage of Life, Light and Love as a beloved child of God. Am I prepared to join my suffering with Christ Jesus? Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Jesus, I rise again.
As I have prayed with this mystery today, I realized that my (present) sufferings were not unfamiliar to Jesus; that he shows me the way forward ‘from Suffering into Joy’ to quote Mother Teresa. I have charted what I came to understand about my own ‘sufferings’ of this day:
“Suffering” - The Challenges I am facing
Parallel suffering in Jesus’ life
Jesus’ Reaction
1. Government not listening to/not acting on the issues facing Indigenous peoples
The Jews were suppressed by Roman Rule
Holy indifference to the Roman presence and their lack of empathy. That is, Jesus knew all too well the problems his people were having, but chose not to engage the Romans. Only on a personal level in a healing context do we hear Jesus engaging a Roman centurion .
2. “Unemployed”
Jesus was driven from the synagogue in both Nazareth and Capernaum, both town where he had lived as an adult. In Nazareth he was almost stoned.
Did the next ‘right’ task at hand... that is healing people who came to him, proclaiming the good news, .... and going to the temple or the synagogue in town as was appropriate and convenient for him to do.
3. Having to deal with my son and his alcoholism and Trauma spectrum disorder.
Jesus had to deal with Judas.
He included Judas in all the disciples’ activities, and continued to do what he (Jesus) knew to be the ‘righteous’ choice at the moment..... There were all kinds of ‘righteous’ spin-offs from Jesus telling Judas to ‘get on with it’.
4. $ hardship
Jesus didn’t even carry his own money, but relied on Judas – finally a traitor - as treasurer of the group, to do so. There is no record of Jesus receiving money for his ‘services’
Paid Caesar what was Caesar’s due, getting the money as needed, however it worked out. (...in the mouth of a fish, at least once ...) He and his disciples gleaned ‘corn’ from a field when they were hungry
5. Being ignored and sometimes rejected in my writing, in teaching, in my offers of ‘service’
Jesus’ teaching was consistently rejected by the movers and shakers of Jewish society of Judea in his day.
Continued to teach and to proclaim the Good News anyway, everywhere, as opportunity arose.
6. Being uninvited to many religious ‘events’ and other ‘church discussions’
Jesus, as an adult, was persona non grata for the church (synagogue) ‘supervisors’ and ‘ministers’ of his day.
Jesus attended functions and religious services as usual, anyway
7. Dealing with my elderly Mother in her illness (cancer) and feeling angry and frustrated with her
Jesus was frustrated with his Mother and brothers, when they waved to him from the back of the crowd to stop teaching!
Jesus did not listen to his mother’s distraction from his ministry, and continued doing what he, as an adult, was called to do.
8. TI’s corruption and phoniness, putting many Inuit in Ottawa at risk by attracting Government funding, and then offering poor services, or no services at all, because they refuse (don’t know how?) to practise the Inuit Qaujimajatuqaaniq principles
Jesus recognized the corruption and fake religiosity of his time
He tended to not engage any of the groups of ‘phoneys’... Unless they questioned him. Then he gave pithy and firm answers, reflecting truth and love (Caritas in Veritate) .
9. Painful knee & and hip. Tick bite. Fatigue or any other physical pain/discomfort
Jesus suffered much more physical anguish than this when he was tortured
Just kept on going, despite the pain... gently and deliberately fulfilling his Father’s will.
Let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy. (Psalm 68:1)
Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
Soli gloriam dei.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Romans 8:11-17
Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Christ Jesus, I rise with Him...
Call it ‘pain’, call it ‘hurt’, call it ‘rejected’ or ‘loneliness’, call it what you will, it is all suffering – of the kind Jesus experienced in his own life. When I suffer, I am tempted to slink into a corner, lick my wounds and withdraw into personal problem solving, or to complain anxiously to those around me as I attempt to right all that I perceive to be wrong around me. But Jesus calls me to share my suffering with him, as he shares his own suffering with me. As I vacate my own little corner and suffer with Christ Jesus, and with Him in others, I find my own challenges to be transformed. Indeed, no matter what hurt, what rejection, what injustice, what discomfort I experience, with Jesus I am able to rise above the pain and inconvenience of the moment, and live into my heritage of Life, Light and Love as a beloved child of God. Am I prepared to join my suffering with Christ Jesus? Holy Spirit, remind me that as much as I suffer with Jesus, I rise again.
As I have prayed with this mystery today, I realized that my (present) sufferings were not unfamiliar to Jesus; that he shows me the way forward ‘from Suffering into Joy’ to quote Mother Teresa. I have charted what I came to understand about my own ‘sufferings’ of this day:
“Suffering” - The Challenges I am facing
Parallel suffering in Jesus’ life
Jesus’ Reaction
1. Government not listening to/not acting on the issues facing Indigenous peoples
The Jews were suppressed by Roman Rule
Holy indifference to the Roman presence and their lack of empathy. That is, Jesus knew all too well the problems his people were having, but chose not to engage the Romans. Only on a personal level in a healing context do we hear Jesus engaging a Roman centurion .
2. “Unemployed”
Jesus was driven from the synagogue in both Nazareth and Capernaum, both town where he had lived as an adult. In Nazareth he was almost stoned.
Did the next ‘right’ task at hand... that is healing people who came to him, proclaiming the good news, .... and going to the temple or the synagogue in town as was appropriate and convenient for him to do.
3. Having to deal with my son and his alcoholism and Trauma spectrum disorder.
Jesus had to deal with Judas.
He included Judas in all the disciples’ activities, and continued to do what he (Jesus) knew to be the ‘righteous’ choice at the moment..... There were all kinds of ‘righteous’ spin-offs from Jesus telling Judas to ‘get on with it’.
4. $ hardship
Jesus didn’t even carry his own money, but relied on Judas – finally a traitor - as treasurer of the group, to do so. There is no record of Jesus receiving money for his ‘services’
Paid Caesar what was Caesar’s due, getting the money as needed, however it worked out. (...in the mouth of a fish, at least once ...) He and his disciples gleaned ‘corn’ from a field when they were hungry
5. Being ignored and sometimes rejected in my writing, in teaching, in my offers of ‘service’
Jesus’ teaching was consistently rejected by the movers and shakers of Jewish society of Judea in his day.
Continued to teach and to proclaim the Good News anyway, everywhere, as opportunity arose.
6. Being uninvited to many religious ‘events’ and other ‘church discussions’
Jesus, as an adult, was persona non grata for the church (synagogue) ‘supervisors’ and ‘ministers’ of his day.
Jesus attended functions and religious services as usual, anyway
7. Dealing with my elderly Mother in her illness (cancer) and feeling angry and frustrated with her
Jesus was frustrated with his Mother and brothers, when they waved to him from the back of the crowd to stop teaching!
Jesus did not listen to his mother’s distraction from his ministry, and continued doing what he, as an adult, was called to do.
8. TI’s corruption and phoniness, putting many Inuit in Ottawa at risk by attracting Government funding, and then offering poor services, or no services at all, because they refuse (don’t know how?) to practise the Inuit Qaujimajatuqaaniq principles
Jesus recognized the corruption and fake religiosity of his time
He tended to not engage any of the groups of ‘phoneys’... Unless they questioned him. Then he gave pithy and firm answers, reflecting truth and love (Caritas in Veritate) .
9. Painful knee & and hip. Tick bite. Fatigue or any other physical pain/discomfort
Jesus suffered much more physical anguish than this when he was tortured
Just kept on going, despite the pain... gently and deliberately fulfilling his Father’s will.
Let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God; let them be jubilant with joy. (Psalm 68:1)
Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
Soli gloriam dei.
