The Power of Temporal Suffering
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Today, we stand at the foot of the Cross.
Good Friday is not a day of many words.
It is a day of silence… a day of sorrow… a day of love.
And yet, it is also a day that asks one of the deepest questions of human life:
What is the meaning of suffering?
1. The Human Search for Meaning in Suffering
There was a man named Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust. He once asked his patients a shocking question: “Why do you not commit suicide?”
Strange as it sounds, their answers revealed something profound.
Some said, “Because I love my children.”
Others said, “Because I still have something to accomplish.”
Others held on to memories, to hope, to meaning.
Even in suffering, they found a reason to live.
Because the human heart cannot endure a meaningless life.
And even more—it cannot endure meaningless suffering.
2. The Cross Gives Meaning to Suffering
This is where Good Friday speaks to us.
On the Cross, we do not see meaningless suffering.
We see God Himself suffering.
Jesus did not avoid pain.
He entered into it fully.
And He tells us:
“If anyone would come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me.”
There is no Christianity without the Cross.
But there is also no Cross without Christ.
3. What Does It Mean to “Offer It Up”?
We often say, “Offer it up.” But what does that really mean?
It means this: To take our suffering—big or small—
and unite it with the suffering of Jesus.
St. Paul says: “I rejoice in my sufferings… for the sake of His body, the Church.”
At first, that sounds strange.
Was Christ’s suffering not enough?
Of course it was. It was perfect and complete.
But Jesus did not suffer so that we would never suffer—
He suffered so that our suffering would have meaning.
When we unite our pain with his Cross,
our suffering becomes:
- A prayer
- A sacrifice
- A source of grace for others
4. No Suffering Is Ever Wasted
It doesn’t matter what kind of suffering we carry:
- A serious illness
- A broken relationship
- A rebellious child
- Loneliness, failure, anxiety
- Even something as small as a daily frustration
When offered to God, nothing is wasted.
What matters is not how much we suffer,
but how much love we put into it.
5. The Power of the Cross to Change Hearts
There is a powerful story about a young man who mocked believers outside a church.
One day, a priest challenged him:
“Stand before the crucifix and say:
‘Christ died for me, and I don’t care.’”
The young man said it once.
Then again.
But the third time—he couldn’t.
Looking at the face of Christ on the Cross,
his voice broke… and he began to weep.
Later, that same man admitted:
“I thought I didn’t need God… but I found out that I did.”
6. The Cross Reveals Our True Worth
Dear friends,
Look at the Cross.
This is not just suffering.
This is love poured out completely.
The Cross tells us:
- How much God loves us
- How much we are worth
- And how far God is willing to go to save us
It also reveals our calling:
To love… even when it costs
To give… even when it hurts
To trust… even in darkness
Conclusion
Today, as we venerate the Cross, let us remember:
- The Cross is not the end—it is the path to resurrection
- Suffering is not meaningless—it can be transformed
- Love is stronger than pain
If you are carrying a cross today, do not carry it alone.
Place it in the hands of Christ.
Unite it with his suffering.
And discover that even in pain,
there is power…
there is grace…
there is redemption.
Because on this day,
love has conquered through the Cross.
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