The truth is that no one can avoid suffering in life.
Below are facts about life’s suffering
1. As a growing child, to become responsible, you must endure good parental training. Suffering by nature.
2. As a student, to come out with a good result, you need to deny yourself pleasures, and endure the pain and stress of studies, is that not suffering?
3. After graduation, you suffer to get a good accommodation, business, job, spouse, and comfortable life.
4. As a man, you suffer to keep your family, and as a woman, you suffer to give birth; can any woman avoid the pain of child delivery?
4. Inside marriage, you suffer to maintain your family, and to train your children, especially praying against the fear of the unknown. Is it palatable with good parents?
Invariably, to become great in life, one must suffer, however, some sufferings are peculiar to Christianity.
The moment one decides to follow Jesus, that is the very moment Satan will begin to tempt one. Satan hates Jesus and he will do everything to castigate the followers of Jesus.
Therefore, all Good Christians must face the challenges of suffering various categories of trials, temptation and persecution, yet all of these are melted on Christians for them to renounce Jesus and follow the devil.
It is on this fact that God inspired St. Paul to encourage us in today’s first reading saying:
Brethren, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Remember that Jesus suffered and died for our sake and He went back to the Father, where He awaits Christians who will endure their suffering to the end to enter God’s kingdom prepared for them.
Therefore, suffering should be seen as a seed sown to become grown big tree of salvation as illustrated by Jesus in today’s Gospel.
If you know how a farmer takes time to plant his seeds and endure patiently to await the harvest day; so thus his joy knows no bounds on the day of harvest. The joy of harvesting his crops will make him forget his patience in suffering.
So, in a nutshell, do not be discouraged because you are suffering today, though it may be an unjust suffering, do not worry, the reward shall be greater afterwards.
Remember that Jesus suffered and was killed unjustly, and today we all Worship Him.
Finally, do not forget that at the end of every tunnel is Light.
Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.*
