Fifth Sunday of Easter
When I was reading the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles for today, what struck me was the way in which Paul and Barnabas encouraged the early Christian disciples. They said, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (14:22). At first glance, this doesn’t appear to encouraging. But in reality, it should be. This is not the only place we find such a teaching in St. Paul; if we turn to his Letter to the Romans, we find the same idea in the eighth chapter. There, St. Paul explains that the sufferings we experience can bring us to Christ’s glory, and do not separate us from God, rather they tie us more closely to Him. It is precisely by suffering with Christ that we begin to share in His glory. It’s simply a fact that we can run from suffering, but we can’t hide. In the end, we will all experience hardship and suffering. And this is particularly the case if we decide to follow Jesus.
Being a Christian does not exempt us from suffering. But what it does do is help us unite that suffering to Christ’s sacrifice so that we can transform those experiences, those hardships, into efficacious prayers for others. Suffering can help sanctify us and draw us closer to God. Therefore we must undergo many hardships, if we are to enter the kingdom of God. We would do well to read this verse in Acts in light of St. Paul’s meditation on suffering in Romans 8.
When we turn to today’s Gospel reading from St. John, we find Jesus talking about His glorification, His exaltation, which happens on the cross. It is precisely when Jesus encounters hardship, the hardship of an excruciating death, that He is glorified and exalted. We too will encounter suffering and hardship, but with full knowledge that this world of suffering will pass away, as today’s second reading from the Apocalypse of John makes clear. Jesus, Who suffered death on the cross, and conquered death with His glorious resurrection, “makes all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Thus, when we encounter hardships, difficulties, obstacles, sufferings, let us rejoice and try to recognize the hand of God in our lives amidst the hardships. All hardships are opportunities for growth. When good things happen to us, we should praise God and thank Him. But we must also try to be cheerful and thank God when bad things happen to us as well. This is much more difficult. Of course we must cry, when the situation calls for it, and it’s ok to complain to God, asking “why?!” But in the end, we need to always give God our thanks and praise, trusting that He will indeed work all for good for us, who call upon His name (Romans 8:28).
- Jeff Morrow