Blessings of Jesus.
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God has created us with the purpose of sharing His eternal happiness with us in Heaven.
But the path to Heaven here on earth is often strewn with serious troubles that can lead to sufferings.
As true Christians we must trust in God’s plan for us.
The trials and tribulations we meet with serve the real purpose for our greater good in the end, helping to perfect us.
As Christians we are supposed to view suffering in a totally different way, a totally different context, than an unbeliever.
An unbeliever views suffering as suffering, but we, believers in Christ must view it as a blessing.
We must see it as a gift from God, because Jesus brought us salvation only through the Cross on which He sacrificed Himself for us.
If the Cross which brought us salvation is given to us, we must view it as a precious gift given to us out of pure love and concern for us.
An image resembles 'the real' in every respect.
A Christian is an image of Christ.
We expect others to see Christ in us, Christians.
We are expected to resemble Christ.
How can we resemble Him without a Cross?
We have been invited to follow Jesus.
How can we follow Him without a Cross?
We take up the cross not because it is a cross, but because it is His Cross.
We must have the ability to see suffering on earth as part of our relationship with God
and as something willingly taken on and endured by Christ Himself for our sake.
The source of our ability to bear our own crosses is the gift of grace of God through the action of the Holy Spirit.
The ultimate model for us of how all manner of crosses are to be borne is, of course, Jesus Christ Himself.
Christ’s actions and words teach us not only how to face suffering,
but also how to turn it into its redemptive power,
by “offering up” our sufferings,
joining them with Christ’s Passion,
for the remission of sins
and for spiritual benefits for ourselves and for others.
Let us be happy when we suffer, because Christ is with us.
Lourdu Selvam.
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