There is nobody nearer to God than a soul embraced by Him…
Two people who are very close to me are dealing with very serious health conditions right in this very moment. Those two people are young and beautiful. They have so much of their life ahead of them. In fact, it appears that when they were struck down with their illnesses, they were enjoying the best moment of their life to date.
They had no plans to be sick. They had no time to be ill.
They were socialising with their friends. They were looking after their families. They were working in their jobs.
And yet – in a moment in time – completely unexpectedly and completely out of the blue, so to speak – they were struck down with a diagnosis of their illness that not only changed the course of their earthly life forever, but also shortened its course considerably from the life that they had been expecting and had planned.
And I have been thinking about this today because despite hearing this news and praying for these souls, I am filled with hope for them and for their families.
And I understand that upon hearing those words, one might be forgiven for thinking that I am perhaps (at worst) a sadist, who revels in the pain and suffering of others. Or perhaps, I am (at best) a little crazy. Or perhaps, I am (quite simply) unfeeling and un-empathetical…
And I have been reflecting on the earthly and very human response to my response to suffering… After all – it is no mistake to understand that it is easier to understand suffering theoretically rather than experiencing it in the actual core of your person. And therefore, one might assume, that it is easier for me to speak of suffering of others as it is separate from me.
But – though my life has not been cut short by illness – I too have experienced suffering. And I know that you have too. In fact, all humans on this earth have experienced suffering. We either experience physical decline in our physical health, or emotional isolation from others, or misunderstanding or grief or loss or sadness. And many people experience all of these. And these things are just a pre-curser of the suffering that is to come for us. These things are the things that God allows to prepare us for the big things that are coming for us. They are the things that give me hope.
And HOPE is the FRUIT of faith. Because when one has faith, one can accept suffering as meaningful and purposeful and suffering can be USED for the Goodness of God.
I believe that there is no greater suffering than the suffering of a soul alone and without purpose. If a soul can direct their suffering to a purpose, that suffering bears fruit… Mothers endure great agony without thinking very much about it at all following the event because they understand that suffering was on behalf of their children… And that fruit of their labour (their suffering so to speak), their children, makes their suffering worthwhile.
And it is the same for souls who are suffering illness towards the end of their lives… If those souls can know and understand that they can make use of the suffering by offering it to God in unity with Christ Crucified, and for the salvation of sinners, then that suffering has purpose and through that purpose, it has merit. And when that happens, it means that such suffering can change the course of the world.
And when I think about it like that, I can see that it has great purpose, and being purposeful it is not something to fear, but rather, suffering is a thing to be cherished. For when a soul suffers, it has been invited into the Holy Embrace of God… And there is nobody nearer to God than a soul embraced by Him…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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