Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

Today's Scripture

In the first reading for today from the Book of Wisdom, we encounter a discussion concerning the suffering of the just, particularly the unjust suffering of the just. The first verse of chapter three of this reading has two parts, the first of which is comforting, but the second of which should strike us as surprising. The first part states that, “the souls of the just are in the hand of God.” The second half of this verse, however, puts forth the following idea: “and no torment shall touch them.”

Does this seem to fit with our ordinary experience? Do we know people we would consider just? Do they escape all forms of torment, all forms of suffering? When we look to the lives of the Saints we find tremendous suffering, even unjust suffering. Jesus Himself suffered incredibly, and He is the paradigmatic Just One. The key to this enigma appears if we continue reading in chapter 3 through verse 6. The just do suffer: “They seemed…to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction….if before men, indeed, they be punished….Chastised a little….”

The just do suffer, but the Saints are able to be “in peace” (3:3) through such suffering because “their hope [is] full immortality” (3:4). Suffering and torments for the just, for the Saints, is compared to the process of refining gold (3:6). This is why the Book of Wisdom is able to say that “no torment shall touch them.” The ultimate reason for this is that their souls “are in the hand of God.” Being held in God’s hands does not mean that we will not undergo suffering, just look at Jesus. What becoming a Saint, a just one, means for us, is that we are learning to transform our suffering by the grace of God, into a means of encountering God. Our hope in God and in salvation can help carry us through suffering to the glory of resurrection.

This is difficult for us. The fact of the matter is that we cannot escape suffering. As Christians, however, we are all called to become Saints, and we are enabled to transform our suffering through the many graces we receive in the Sacraments, because of the merit of Christ. Let us strive, therefore, to offer up our sufferings (the small ones and the great ones), transforming our difficulties into prayers to God on behalf of others. In this way, being sick, injuries, obstacles, minor nuisances, major griefs and losses may become special prayers by which we can transform the world around us. Today is the Memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great, so let us ask for his intercession as we strive to unite our sufferings and difficulties to the Lord. In this way we can hope to become as Saint like Leo the Great, for such sanctity is not intended only for the few, but is within the grasp of each of us.

Jeff Morrow