Suffering as joy. 

What I mean by this is, suffering can become joyful. As we know no other way to express the love burning in us than to offer it to God, as Christ did in the garden of Gethsemane and on the Cross. 

Suffering is also to enter into the mystery of the shared collective human experience because we all suffer during our lifetime and we, in turn, offer the love we have received from God as we minister to each other. 

When we suffer, we begin to understand how others suffer. In reaching out and using our own suffering to help others heal, we can find joy. 

Aren’t you elated when you deliver a meal or soup to a sick neighbor, or reach out to comfort someone in their time of need, or just holding someone in your arms when they are hurt or crying?  

This suffering connects us all on a spiritual level and brings us closer to one another – which ultimately brings us joy. 

Not because we are joyful or delighted by another’s pain but that we can be of help and be there selflessly for that person and aid them to move through their pain.

Compassion and empathy — these are the gifts God brings to us. 

In turn, our painful experiences help us to gain the tools and understanding to relate to one another, and through honest sharing true healing comes about.

Check out Contemplation in Truth and Love: Part 1