Out of an endless summer

This year I missed out on experiencing the seasons as I always had. We moved to Florida from Wisconsin last summer, and I didn't anticipate how a year without dramatic changes in temperature would make me feel.

There were many things to appreciate. Not having to scrounge for socks, hats, mittens, or coats. Getting to keep out my summer clothes year-round. Not having to shovel snow or drive on icy roads. Going strawberry picking in January. Taking walks outside without having to bundle up.

But there were times when the good weather bothered me. And I couldn't make sense of it until I realized, quite suddenly, that it was already May. In Wisconsin, May is a beautiful month. Flowers are starting to sprout from their bulbs. The trees are budding. Neighbors come out to greet each other after a long winter spent indoors. Everything is coming to life again. And we celebrate Our Lady who brought Light into the world.

In Florida, May is also a beautiful month. Every day is beautiful. So I guess that's what hit me. Every. Day. Is. Beautiful. There is no winter hardship here that binds people together in suffering and compassion. No frozen darkness out of which the great warmth of spring emerges. No sense of joyful anticipation. Only an expectation that each day will be as beautiful as the last.

I have often heard the question, "Why would an all-powerful and loving God permit us to suffer so terribly in this life?" People don't deny that suffering is a part of life. Suffering is inevitable and universally recognized. But the question remains.

So many people have friends, money, and power. Yet true happiness eludes them. Each day is a fulfillment of their physical desires, yet the soul cannot be quenched. They have an expectation all needs will be met, and they find themselves dulled to appreciate even the temporal pleasures that they once pursued so vigorously. They become difficult to please and even harder to live with.

Attempting to live a life free of suffering is like wishing to read a book without the conflict. Yawn. We all love an inspiring tale of heroic bravery or overcoming great obstacles, yet we tend to flee at first indication of personal sacrifice. Our lives are a great story being written with all the peaks and valleys that come with it. Aren't the peaks more triumphant when the valleys have been deeper? Absolutely. And so it shall be in our heavenly home.

An answer that has come to me in the experience of an endless summer.

Our Lady of Sorrows

It gives me great joy on this feast of Our Lady of Sorrows to be able to share with you an excerpt from Savifici Doloris, an Apostolic Letter written by the late great John Paul II. In my past year of study, this letter greatly helped me in truly appreciating the role of suffering in faith. His words are so gentle and kind, speaking to the very heart of a Christian disciple...

It is especially consoling to note—and also accurate in accordance with the Gospel and history—that at the side of Christ, in the first and most exalted place, there is always his Mother through the exemplary testimony that she bears by her whole life to this particular Gospel of suffering. In her, the many and intense sufferings were amassed in such an interconnected way that they were not only a proof of her unshakeable faith but also a contribution to the redemption of all. In reality, from the time of her secret conversation with the angel, she began to see in her mission as a mother her "destiny" to share, in a singular and unrepeatable way, in the very mission of her Son. And she very soon received a confirmation of this in the events that accompanied the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and in the solemn words of the aged Simeon, when he spoke of a sharp sword that would pierce her heart. Yet a further confirmation was in the anxieties and privations of the hurried flight into Egypt, caused by the cruel decision of Herod.

And again, after the events of her Son's hidden and public life, events which she must have shared with acute sensitivity, it was on Calvary that Mary's suffering, beside the suffering of Jesus, reached an intensity which can hardly be imagined from a human point of view but which was mysterious and supernaturally fruitful for the redemption of the world. Her ascent of Calvary and her standing at the foot of the Cross together with the Beloved Disciple were a special sort of sharing in the redeeming death of her Son. And the words which she heard from his lips were a kind of solemn handing-over of this Gospel of suffering so that it could be proclaimed to the whole community of believers.

As a witness to her Son's Passion by her presence, and as a sharer in it by her compassion, Mary offered a unique contribution to the Gospel of suffering, by embodying in anticipation the expression of Saint Paul which was quoted at the beginning. She truly has a special title to be able to claim that she "completes in her flesh"—as already in her heart—"what is lacking in Christ's afflictions ".

To read the complete Apostolic Letter, visit the Vatican's website.

On suffering

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of him who has loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37

All of us have encountered people in our lives who will claim that something bad destroyed their faith. It’s the old “problem of suffering”. They might say that if there is a God, that He could not will bad things to happen, because evil cannot come from pure goodness. This is simply good reasoning in a narrow scope. The problem is that God’s goodness is bigger than simply willing perfect earthly happiness. His desire for us is to behold His glory, sharing in His perfect love for an eternity in Heaven.

Love freely chosen is infinitely superior to robotic mind control. I think everyone could agree upon that. Because God wants us to choose Him freely, out of love, it necessarily follows that there are going to be people who don’t desire God. We call this rejection of goodness, sin. It is in the world because God is willing the greater good of free will. Sadly, rejection of goodness is responsible for a great multitude of sufferings, wars and famine, family conflicts and the devaluing of human life.

There is, however, a suffering that seems more scandalous. It is the scandal of the cross. Every saint has encountered it and considers it a great gift. It is the suffering that arises out of no consequence of personal sin, but in the invitation to walk the steps with Christ to Calvary. Each of us, in order to purify our love for our Lord must consider what we are attached to that keeps us from fully loving. Suffering helps us do this. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” If we can get through trials, distresses, poverty, or even death with the love of Christ as our strength, Faith has conquered.

Thankfully, I have encountered more people in my life whose faith has been strengthened by suffering. It is those whose faith was built upon firm ground. Whenever I get to talk to one of these inspirational people, it fills me with a humble thought. Please, God, when my suffering comes, shower me with the grace to glorify You.

Welcoming a bishop

The Feast of St. Lawrence always reminds me of my college Catholic campus center. Each year we would have a barbeque on the memorial feast of St. Lawrence. Gotta love that Catholic humor! This year I experienced a very different feast of St. Lawrence. I attended the traditional vespers prayer vigil that is a part of the installation ceremony of a new bishop. Beautiful psalms, hymns and chant were all part of this prayer that is integral to daily Catholic liturgy, the Liturgy of the Office. It was a fitting welcome for our new bishop, the Most Reverend William Callahan. The feast of St. Lawrence was also a most fitting feast to hold this special welcoming because of the manner in which St. Lawrence suffered and died for Christ.

As the homilist noted this evening, suffering is beneficial to others. Whenever we give of ourselves, suffering comes with it. We die to the part of us that wants to do what we want and we give that service, that time, that food, that money—whatever it was that was going to be used to please ourselves—to another person. This is what St. Lawrence did. He sacrificed his life, his comfort, his flesh for the souls of those who witnessed his death. There is no greater witness to faith than a person who suffers for Christ.

Why suffering? Suffering goes against our nature. Every inclination tells us that suffering is bad and pleasure is good. Avoid pain, seek pleasure. Psychologists have developed whole treatment regimens based upon this axiom. It is for this very reason that suffering is such a valuable witness. We are not inclined to suffer, yet we welcome it when we know it will benefit our beloved. Love’s evidence is suffering. If our beloved is Christ, how is it possible that we could benefit Him? We cannot contribute to Christ’s intrinsic glory. The glory of Christ is intrinsically complete. We can, however, contribute to the glory of Christ that extends outward and encompasses the Church. Our suffering allows us to participate in the redemption of man with Christ through His suffering on the cross. As a wise professor of mine said, we are either crucifying Christ or being crucified with Him. As I would say, there is no mushy middle.

It is with this knowledge about suffering that the installation of a bishop commences. The faithful are aware of the sacrifices this man of God has made up to this point in his life. We are also grateful that he is about to witness Christ’s love in a very special way for each one of us in the diocese he is about to shepherd. Thank you, Bishop Callahan, for loving all of us enough to suffer for our salvation. We look forward to having you lead us by your holy example.