Dear brothers and sisters,

Our second reading is so powerful from Saint Paul’s letter to the Colossians. The one line is amazing, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” This is an amazing insight from Saint Paul. When we look at this statement on the surface, it would strike us odd that he would say anything could be lacking in Christ’s suffering. However, when we look closer we realize that Jesus’ suffering was meant to be an example to us of how to persevere through trials. When we unite our trials with those of Jesus, they somehow make more sense. When we realize that He has shown us the way of the cross in answer to any pain we experience in this life we can then see that every cross we endure has a resurrection with it. When we look at the life of Saint Paul, post conversion, he endured many trials and still had the joy of the Gospel in his heart. In 2 Corinthians 11:25 Saint Paul said, “I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers.” All of that took place in his life and he found meaning in it through uniting it to the sufferings of Christ. When we unite our sufferings with Christ we receive extraordinary grace to persevere through it. May God bless each of us with the understanding of walking with Jesus in the midst of our suffering.

Peace,

Fr. Mike