Fourth Sunday of Easter
High profile geo-political events have monopolized our attention for more than a year now. Brexit, the American election, the North Korean conundrum, and now the French and British elections. Locally, the issue has been between fake news and alternative truth. In the midst of all the brouhaha, news about critical humanitarian crises have not made the headlines. Twenty-three million people in East Africa risk hunger, starvation, and death due to a persistent drought. The problem is compounded by ethnic conflict. As you know, the most affected people in times like this are women and children. For the past couple of weeks, I have been unable to detach myself from the suffering of the people in East Africa.
My homily today is a reflection on the question of suffering and the Christian response to suffering. Perhaps I was reading today’s readings through the lens of the suffering in East Africa. Today’s second reading from Peter is addressed to a violently persecuted church that suffered much for their faith in Jesus Christ. Their own suffering led them to reflect on suffering, death and resurrection of Christ – the Christ who came to give us abundant life. In many ways, this is what I am attempting to do as well - to connect our individual suffering with the suffering of Christ and the suffering in the world.
So here are my three points for today.
1. Suffering is a Calling? Let me begin with our own experience of pain and suffering. Every one of has suffers for one reason or another. Peter refers to suffering as a calling. To many people this may sound shocking and even scandalizing.: “If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good” Peter says, “this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps” (1 Pet 2: 20b). I understand from this that Peter is saying that suffering is a call, a vocation to all followers of Christ in general. Now, there are different kinds of suffering. There is the suffering that St. Peter mentions – “suffering for doing what is good.” Jesus is the greatest example of this kind of suffering. Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Archbishop Oscar Romero are some other examples. But there are those whose suffering is innocent like the innocent people in East Africa.
Why does Peter refer to suffering as a calling? Peter was not condoning suffering by referring to it as a call. He was not asking us to intentionally cause or invite suffering. God does not wish anybody to suffer. In fact, Christ suffered to put an end to suffering and death. However, suffering and death are a reality in our world. The only reason Peter refers to suffering as a calling is because he was trying to attach a meaning to the innocent suffering of the early Church. By unifying their innocent suffering with the suffering of Jesus, Peter was trying to give a Christian meaning to their experience. So he says, “… Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps” In other words, suffering is a calling because suffering unifies us with Christ. As hard as it may seem to term it as such – suffering is a painful privilege.
2. Salvific Suffering. The second reason why suffering is a calling is because, in the Christian context, suffering is salvific. Life and salvation came to us through the suffering of Jesus. Once again, as Peter says in today’s second reading, “He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Salvation and eternal life came to us through the life suffering, and death of Jesus. In other words, God transformed suffering into a life-giving opportunity. Here then, something for us to think about: Even as we endure suffering, is it possible that we make our own suffering a life-giving opportunity. This is the meaning of referring to suffering as a call.
3 Suffering: An Opportunity for Giving Life. As we come to grips with the suffering of the starving people in East Africa, it would inhuman to refer their suffering as a calling and sit back as life goes on normally for us. It would equally inhuman to ask them to make their suffering an opportunity for salvation. It would be also inhuman not to do everything we can to alleviate the suffering of innocent people. I am taking the words of Jesus very seriously when he says in today’s gospel reading, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." The practical implication of my entire homily is simply this - that as we reflect on our suffering by uniting it with the suffering of Jesus, we also make our suffering an opportunity for giving life. As Jesus gave life through his suffering we might consider giving life to others because of our own suffering. Without boasting, let me share my story. These days, Tutu (my pet puppy), is having a rough time. She has been limping. It is very painful for me to see this very active and beautiful dog in pain. I have taken her to the vet and even considered visiting a dog chiropractor. All this has thus far cost me close $125. As I try to take care of Tutu, I have sent a hundred percent on what I spend on her to the people in East Africa. Yesterday, I sent a $125 to Catholic Relief Services to help with their relief operation in East Africa. May I invite you to do whatever you can to make you experience of suffering life-giving for others.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Even in our most painful moments we are not alone. He who suffered it all for our sake, is with us in our suffering. Let us bring our pain and suffering to this altar and surrender them into the hands of our eternal shepherd. May he give us the grace to endure our own suffering and to give life to others who are suffering.
- Fr. Satish Joseph