22 SUNDAY, YEAR A, JESUS' SUFFERING AND OUR SUFFERING

SUNDAY REFLECTION: 22 SUNDAY, YEAR A: (3 SEP, 2017)

Entrance Antiphon

♥ Entrance antiphon uses the phrase: “… O Lord you are good and forgiving, full of mercy to all who call to you…”

Collect

♥ The Collect says that God may nurture in us what is good and, by His watchful care, keep safe what he has nurtured.

First Reading (pain and suffering)

♥ In the first reading we find Jeremiah going through very painful situation. The pain is so much that he cannot hold it any longer. Surprisingly the Word of God has become the source of his pain. It is because of the Word of God that he is having so many enemies. Similar things are happening in the Gospel reading. Jesus is talking about suffering and death.

Responsorial Psalm (cling to him in suffering)

♥ The last verse of the responsorial Psalm tells us as to what we should do when suffering comes into our life. It says:  For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice; My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast.

Second Reading

♥ The second reading tells us to present ourselves as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

♥ It tells us not to be conformed to this world.

♥ The above things are hard things. They entail lot of suffering to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God

Gospel Reading

♥ Gospel reading presents PETER as a stumbling block. He is told: “Get behind me Satan.” Who is our stumbling block on the way of following the Lord. It can be a close friend of ours, it can also be someone from our own family. Without death, there is no resurrection. Without GOOD FRIDAY there is no EASTER SUNDAY.

♥ We need to set our minds on divine things and not on human things

♥ Followers of Christ should do the following:

  Deny themselves

  Take up their daily cross (living sacrifice)

  Follow Jesus.

Reflections

“…JESUS' SUFFERING AND OUR SUFFERING…”

♥ My reflection today is on suffering–Suffering of Jesus and our suffering.

♥ We all have suffering in our life.

♥ Buddha was disturbed with this reality. We are all disturbed with it. People of Arunachal Pradesh are disturbed with this reality.

♥ I am quite convinced that God gives us suffering with a purpose. He did not spare his own beloved son in this regard.

♥ Matthew 26:39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Mt 26:39 RSV). Jesus had to drink it (Cross). We are quite fresh with this reality of Jesus suffering after the Lenten season.

♥ Matthew 16:23 When Peter told Jesus that he should not suffer he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men” (Mt 16:23 RSV).

♥ 2 Samuel 16:10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” (2Sa 16:10 RSV)

♥ 2 Corinthians 12:7 And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a THORN was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. ⁸ Three times I besought the Lord about this that it should leave me; ⁹ but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2Cor 12:7 RSV)

♥ God is ever close to those who suffer. He said that when you have fed the hungry you have fed me (Mt 25:35). Jesus is in the hungry, in those who suffer.

♥ Exodus 3:7 Then the LORD said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings” (Ex 3:7 RSV).

♥ Job 2: 7-10  So Satan left the presence of

Yahweh. He struck Job down with malignant ulcers from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. ⁸ Job took a piece of pot to scrape himself, and went and sat among the ashes.⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Why persist in this integrity of yours? Curse God and die.” ¹⁰ “That is how a fool of a woman talks,” Job replied. “If we take happiness from God's hand, must we not take sorrow too?” And in all this misfortune Job uttered no sinful word (Job 2:7-10 NJB).

♥ Being thrown to the Lions to be eaten, IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH said: “I will become worthy bread in the sight of God.”

♥ Jesus is telling us today: Take up your daily cross and follow me.

♥ Moments of suffering, are moments of grace. May our daily suffering bring us closer to God and to one another.

♥ SICKNESS: It is a moment of grace for the parents. They get a chance to work out together (husband and wife); they get a chance to love the child/ member they could not do so. It is also a time for the child to experience that the parents really love him/her. It is also a moment of grace for the entire Christian community of a particular village. They get a chance to come together to pray for that sick member. Contribute financial help and so on and so forth.