I have always contended that one of the beautiful things about our Catholic Faith, is that it is, perhaps, the only faith that makes absolute sense of suffering. Even the suffering of the innocent. As Catholics, we know that all suffering is a result of sin. We also understand that there are souls God allows to suffer so that other souls may be saved, even if the one suffering is themselves more or less innocent.

Suffering is a great tool in the work of salvation. By it our own sins are expiated... those three Hail Mary's after confession are, after all, just a "down payment." By it the weak are made strong. By it a soul can be instructed and edified by God. By it the poor souls in Purgatory are released from their sufferings so much worse than ours, and sinners who might have gone to hell are saved by God's grace.

But how many of us have scratched the surface of the blessing that is the cross?

For instance, it often happens (at least I've noticed it in my life), that a cross follows some wrong, or perhaps brings us back into communication with God, Whom we may have scarcely said two words to (outside of prayer) in weeks because of jobs or responsibilities. Sometimes it is the voice of Our Savior saying to us, "Remember me... not just now, when you need My help, but after, and always." This is why when a cross comes, we do well to examine our lives, especially our relation to God, and see whether it is not this kind of cross... that which is meant to teach and guide us, or remind us of the love and devotion we should have, not only in times of suffering and trials.

Beyond these, the cross also gives us the chance to be selfless. It may happen that we may find no fault in ourselves recently to merit the cross we are suddenly asked to carry. It may be that we've been doing quite well. But if we can't for the life of us see any other reason to it, we might also think upon that other kind of suffering, whereby other souls are helped or saved. We can suffer selflessly for them, and that will be a good show of our sincere charity.

But there is one thing about the cross that I learned quite late in life. Not only must we learn to carry it and not grumble, but we ought also learn to appreciate it. When is the last time, for instance, when you thanked God for sending some particular cross?

To many, it sounds absurd at a glance. If you are thankful for suffering, won't you be asking for more in effect? But I think not. Being thankful for a cross means that you recognize that the cross is given out of God's love. It is to defeat the attitude of bearing it grudgingly, or thinking of God in any way negatively for them. It is to remove all traces of objection to them, but above all, it is to acknowledge the love with which He sends them.

The cross, I realized, is an act of love by God in itself. That He allows us to suffer shows His real love for ourselves and other souls. That He would give it to us, or bless us with it, says that He would rather see those He loves suffer a little now, and then be at peace forever, than pity them now, and see them suffer much worse for eternity. By reminding ourselves of that love when we are presented with a cross, we learn habitually to think of our crosses for what they really are... tokens of God's love for us, and signs that He has not abandoned us... gifts for His beloved children, given with love. How often have we returned that love with cold resentment or silent indifference? How often have we simply carried it, and not accepted it in our hearts? How often do we return nothing at all for these gifts of love God has sent especially to us?

We ought, I discovered, to rather meditate upon the love with which that cross was given, to examine our lives to see whether it has not come with a lesson or reminder for us, to make acts of love four our neighbor and our willingness to suffer, even if we don't think we personally had it coming (any more so than usual). When we receive His love, we ought to return it with our own. For perhaps we are never quite so close to our crucified Savior outside of holy Communion, as when we are united by our sufferings. And how rarely will that love be returned by any others?

It can be very hard to suffer especially with those whom one can find difficult at times. It would be alright to have patience exteriorly, but it would be better to have it interiorly. I find myself sometimes not doing well there.  :cry: It is one thing when a person gets too out of hand in some way and can be unbearable to the point where it would be more prudent to avoid that person, but that is, of course, not always the case. Many times, I think we can bear with others whom we may find not always favoralbe.

Nevertheless, this is a vale of tears. I know there could be some cry about working to build up human society on earth to relieve suffering and not just wait until heaven to no longer have more suffering. The naturalism of today has gotten to the point of denying heaven even and making death the worst thing imaginable. Regardless, that we must suffer now and hope for heaven does not mean we cannot build the kingdom of God on earth at this time through our suffering in order to improve the welfare of mankind and serve the common good in the temporal realm. Efforts put forth for those things would involve suffering as they would already. Such efforts can also relieve suffering indeed.  

Even relieving the suffering of others could be a suffering for us then, and it could be a great merit for us in that case. For example, it would be virtuous for a soldier in time of war to help his fellow wounded soldier out in the midst of battle despite any risk and suffering involved in the battle. Of course, that would be an extreme situation, but I think it would be a good example still.

This Lent, I think I need to make sure to bear my cross even better interiorly then despite any suffering that may come that is for a greater good: the good of my soul. Even more greatly, God would be glorified, and also my neighbor would be hopefully, I pray, edified, as well.