Sanctity in suffering

“You know what is contained in the cross” Divine Mercy in my soul # 1513

If everything comes from God, then suffering is the only thing we can call our own and give to God.

Gods mercy is so great that it allows us to sing and praise even in suffering and misery.

We all carry crosses everyday. Through God’s mercy, most days our crosses are small and manageable, often so light we barely notice their weight. But, some days, the cross is heavy on our back. For some suffering souls, it is constant.

Suffering internalized can be a horrible nightmare. The key to suffering is to turn it outwards. No, I don’t mean to make others suffer with you. That would be sinful.

To turn suffering outward means to take your suffering and turn it into an opportunity to touch other souls. Those souls could be in purgatory or on earth. For those in purgatory, they are set free by what you offer to them in your suffering. For those on earth, when you offer your suffering, you take advantage of the circumstances to evangelize your love of God and your joy in Him. When the world sees nothing but a horrible circumstance, this becomes incredibly effective and visible to the world. How so? The world sees a situation in which you should be dejected and down but you facing it with joy makes them wonder how.

Suffering also gives an opportunity of place and time. When my daughter was first diagnosed with Lupus, she was in a lot of pain and stuck in the hospital for long days. To avoid clots, she would walk around the ward. In those walks she would witness others’ sufferings and pain. I would get calls and texts, “dad brings a get-well bear”, “can you bring a card?”, “send flowers to room xx.”

Her suffering brought along with it great opportunity to bring calm and happiness to other suffering souls. Those souls were often alone and desolate. Because my daughter took advantage of her circumstances, others were given joy and a witness of Jesus Himself. My daughter’s suffering was turned outwards. In doing so, her suffering decreased though the pain didn’t subside.

Do you take advantage of your crosses? Are you more likely to cry out, “woe is me” or turn your cross into an opportunity of redemption? Turn it outwards to draw close to the heart of Jesus and feel what He felt carrying the cross.

Each difficulty is an opportunity for sanctity.