Are You Suffering?

By -

 A couple of things . . .

It is very clear in today's reading (2 Corinthians, Chapter 1) that Paul saw the need to share with the people of Corinth, whatever he received from the Lord.

Paul understood that he could encourage others in their afflictions. He said,  "so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God."

That's not insignificant.

Whatever we receive from God, we are expected to give away.  Do you feel hope?  Give it to someone who needs it.  Do you realize God's love for you?  Love someone.

Are you suffering?  Help someone else who is suffering through your endurance and your understanding of the sufferings of Christ.

To put it another way, Paul said:

"Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement."

Here's the point:

If you are suffering in any way today, know that you can find relief in God.  Once you see the connection, life changes.  Suffering leads to encouragement, which will lead to joy.

If you do not believe this, then one has to ask, how are things going for you so far?  The consolation (encouragement) that Paul is praising God for, isn't something that was only given to people long ago.

It is for each and every one of us today.  If you just take the step toward God and trust what Paul is saying, you will find encouragement in your suffering.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Memorare

By Helen Gonsalves -
Image
This popular prayer, a favorite of many Catholics, dates back to the 15th century and takes its name from the first Latin word of the prayer, "memorare," which means "remember." The Memorare is of unknown authorship, although it has been attributed to St. Augustine (354-430), St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) and, with more reason, to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153). St. Bernard's sermons on Mary were famous, and it was his Cistercian monks in the monastery of Citeaux in the 12th century who popularized the name "Our Lady" for Mary. The Memorare has also been attributed to the French cleric Claude Bernard (1588-1641), known as the "poor priest" of Paris, whose homilies contain passages that echo its words. No matter who wrote this prayer, it was Father Bernard who did much to popularize it, teaching it in hospitals and prisons, where Mary's intercession was effective in working miracles of grace. The first manuscript of the Mem
Read more

The Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary

By -
Image
This is the image most often associated with the writings of the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit. She promoted devotion to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. During my preparation for the retreat I am giving at the end of the month in Pantasaph, North Wales, I began reading a book by the late John Haffert (once the lay leader of the Blue Army of Fatima). His theory in the book, which speaks of God's "last effort" to convert the world before the coming chastisement, is that we are now living in the third or fourth "day" of the Fatima week. At this time, according to Haffert, we should be promoting devotion to The Immaculate Heart of Mary. I also consulted another book by Dr. Courtnay Bartholomew (whom I have been privileged to meet) which also speaks of the importance of this devotion, linking it with the writings and visions of the mystic Berthe Petit, and the importance of the full title of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. These things will feature in
Read more

Why Modesty Is Not Subjective

By -
Image
Hi there, ya'll!  The modest fashion world is one very diverse place.  Even among Catholics, the definition of "modest apparel" can vary greatly from person to person.  Recently I joined a Facebook group that advertised itself as a haven for Catholic women of all ages to share ideas for modest style and makeup and was hoping to learn more about modesty from my fellow Catholic sisters.  After a few days of being a member, though, I sadly left the group feeling a bit discouraged.  No two members seemed to agree on ANY aspect of modesty whatsoever, and the prevailing theme of the whole group was that modesty is subjective, it means something different for each woman and each woman gets to decide what she considers is "modest".  One woman very emphatically declared that she wears bikinis every summer to the beach and doesn't feel that this violates the virtue of modesty in the least.  The same woman also announced that she was never going to caution her d
Read more