tvc.dsj.org | April 4, 2017
COMMUNITY
5
Catholic Cemeteries: Jesus’ Cross - From Suffering to Hope
By Kathy Fanger
As we continue our Lenten journey
through Holy Week, we reflect upon
Jesus’ life, Passion and death, and his
glorious Resurrection. Jesus suffered
rejection and excruciating pain – all
for our sins. Aware of his mission, he
was obedient to his Father’s will, even
death on the Cross.
In our lives, we, too, experience suf-
fering. It is often inescapable: sickness,
an accident, cancer, broken relation-
ships, broken dreams. We suffer when
those we love suffer. We share their
pain. We especially suffer with grief
when a loved one dies. Sometimes,
the only prayer we can beg of Jesus is
“Help!” Jesus prayed, “Father, take this
cup from me, yet not my will but yours
be done” (Luke 22:42). We, too, implore
God to take away our burdens. We
cry out and sometimes wonder if God
hears. Jesus himself cried out from the
cross, “My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?” (Psalm 22).
It is natural to want to push suffer-
ing away, yet when we face our suffer-
ing and grief, aligning t hem with Jesus’
Cross, we become transformed. Paul
G. Crowley, S.J. in his book “Unwanted
Wisdom” cites Karl Rahner, S.S., who
believes that God does not will us to
suffer, however God allows suffering.
God works in and through our suffer-
ing, never abandoning us. “The Lord
is close to the broken-hearted, he res-
cues those whose spirits are crushed”
(Psalm 34:18).
Our suffering places us near to His
Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary
Imagine the piercing agony that
Jesus’ mother endured on the road
to Calvary… seeing her son suffer in
such pain, weeping at the foot of his
cross, and cradling his lifeless body in
her arms. Simeon foretold, “And you
yourself a sword will pierce” (Luke
2:35). Mary understands our suffering
and grief. We can speak with her and
pray the Rosary, especially the Sorrow-
ful Mysteries, for strength, drawing us
close to her Son.
Our Catholic Church offers us tradi-
tional prayers which give us words for
the times we have no words of our own.
We can also resort to silence. Saint John
of the Cross teaches, “Silence is God’s
first language. In our dark hours, it can
lift our sufferings to God.”
We need not bear our sufferings
alone
When Jesus, in weakness and pain,
bore the heaviness of carrying His
cross, Simon the Cyrene carried His
cross for Him. There are others who
offer to carry our crosses. When we
find it too difficult to pray, the saints
and those in the Body of Christ pray
for and with us.
Jesus lights the path of hope
“Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny himself, take up his cross
daily, and follow me. For whoever
wishes to save his life will lose it; but
whoever loses his life for my sake will
find it” (Matthew 16:24-25). We need
to trust that in Jesus’ cross and our
crosses, our suffering and grief will
be transformed. We will receive a new
spirit.
Lent leads us to the empty tomb
and the resurrected Messiah, whose
triumph over sin, suffering and death
promises our own resurrections. For
us who suffer, death is a way to new
life. For our loved ones who have died,
“Life is changed, not ended” (Roman
Missal). We look forward with great
hope to when we, too, are called home
to be united with Christ and with our
loved ones forever. May our prayer this
Lent unite our suffering with the Lord’s
suffering so that we can find in him the
life he promises and enter into joy.
Having Faith During
Difficult Times
April 29, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish
Fireside Room
5111 San Felipe Rd, San Jose
Presenter: Msgr. John Sandersfeld
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
How has faith helped me during the
difficult times in my life?
For more information, contact Kathy
Fanger (650) 428-3730 x508 or visit
[email protected]. The
event is free.