Thought for the Day – 7 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Problem of Suffering
“Jesus is the Head of the Mystical Body of the Church and we are its members.
We ought to suffer with submission and love, as He did.
Rebellion increases and aggravates the pain.
Resignation and love, on the other hand, lighten it, making it meritorious and even welcome.
It is a consolation to suffer with Jesus.
St Paul says: “I rejoice now in the sufferings I have for your sake and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ, I fill up in my flesh, for His Body, which is the Church” (Col 1:24).
In other words, the Passion of Christ demands our submissive and joyful co-operation in suffering along with Jesus.
The Acts says of the Apostles, “So they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name of Jesus.” (Acts 5:41).
“So great is the reward which awaits me,” exclaims St Francis, “every suffering is pure joy to me!” He knew well, that the sorrows of this world are very tiny compared with the wonderful recompense which awaits us in Heaven.
“The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18).”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci
PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/07/thought-for-the-day-7-january-the-problem-of-suffering/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/07/thought-for-the-day-7-january-the-problem-of-suffering-2/
AnaStpaul 