Each of us has surely had at least one very hard and intense experience when it comes to suffering.
Personally, I had two during the pandemic. One of them was the emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor, and the other was on a personal level.
How recently did you have yours?
It’s not that I had never had hard experiences before, but these ones that were overlapping were quite hard in themselves.
I didn’t know what to do with each experience, because each one was quite difficult.
I longed so much for respectful and loving company, and it was very difficult, especially because of the pandemic. At that time there were many of us going through very difficult situations.
I longed for comfort, moral support, a presence from which I could perceive that someone had my back.
Whoever was able to, gave it to me. And I will be forever grateful. Their words, calls, messages, visits, were truly a balm to my soul.
And you, have you had the experience of being supported in difficult times?
I pray you have.
It is so easy to want to blame someone or something in our moments of suffering, that many times we may even blame God. Whether we blame him for what we interpret that he does, or does not do.
In your experience, have you had moments in which you blame God or others for what happens to you?
It is likely that God invites us to cope with difficult experiences, such as those of suffering, in a different way.
Thanks to the fact that a great friend was able to cope with his own experiences of pain without blaming anyone, he was able to offer me great comfort in those difficult moments in my life. And in that way, he gave a very deep meaning to his suffering.
He was able to transform his suffering into comfort for others, including me.
I invite you to bring to your mind and heart someone from whom you have received comfort during a difficult experience in your life. I also invite you to thank God for this person, and for his courage to bear, heal and transform their suffering.
Comforting our neighbors is something to which we are all called, as well as firmly promoting justice.
Suffering is not necessarily a punishment from God for not having done “something right,” nor is the lack of suffering a reward. They are experiences that are part of life. And suffering was also part of Jesus’ life.
By transforming our own suffering, we can, in one way or another, in a small or large way, comfort others.
If the Spirit leads you, ask Jesus the carpenter how you could transform your suffering, and console those who may need it.
Marisol
P.S. We can hear about the call to comfort one another in the readings of the baptism of the Lord, year/cycle C.
