St Paul wrote

“We preach Christ crucified.” — 1 Corinthians 1:23.

A friend of mine, a dear Christian woman wrote to me this day and said that she was glad that Christ took on suffering so that we do not need to.

Hmmmm - - that is food for thought.

Let me see - Christ became man like us in all things except for sin. That meant that He, in His Divinity and His Humanity felt all that we mere mortals go through. God came down to earth, so that we would know Him.

The human nature in us suffers. We suffer small annoyances - perhaps a mosquito bite - and we suffer large tragedies - the killing of our unborn. We suffer slightly, a sneeze, or more deeply, full blown pneumonia.

If Christ, in His Human Nature, did not suffer, and I dare write that His Crucifixion was suffering - then we would not suffer. But the fact of the matter is that Christ DID suffer - and we, who are to be united with Him, also suffer.

What we do with that suffering is how we live out our Christian lives. If I deny my suffering - I am living in denial. If I accept my suffering and join it to the suffering of Christ, that is salvific suffering - God can use me in my suffering.

To that end, I suffered when I had an abortion. I denied that suffering for years and years and years. When I finally came out of my denial, I had to deal with that suffering - the loss of my precious child. How did I deal with that suffering? Well, in the beginning, not well. I was angry, frustrated, angry, sad, angry, irritated, angry...get the picture?

Now, with God's grace, I use my suffering - the abortion - to help others. Similarly, Christ, being crucified, used His Suffering to bring souls to Him. He opened the gates of heaven to those who believe in Him! He suffered so that when we suffer, we can join in His Mysteries and His Suffering and be His Hands.

Lord, may I give you thanks in ALL things, and praise Your Holy Name. May all my suffering, my joys, my common days be pleasing to You, Oh Lord, and may I always give you praise!