A Life Suffering
[A lif ofe of suffering consists of] the perfect spiritual observance of the crosses of our Lord Jesus Christ … [and] becoming similar to him in living a humble, poor, laborious [and] a contemptuous life. (OOCC, III, p. 60)
Since suffering is very significant in the life of a Christian, St. Vincent Pallotti, in many of his writings, attempted to explain its nature and characteristics. According to him, a life of suffering consists of the perfect spiritual observance of the crosses of our Lord Jesus Christ. It would imply that a person lives the physical, mental and spiritual pains of Jesus in the context of his everyday life. Similarly, suffering could also imply that one accepts all tribulations, calumnies, oppression, contradictions, misunderstanding and sorrow of his life in imitation of Jesus. A life of suffering also consists of becoming similar to Jesus in living a humble, poor, laborious and contemptuous life. The humility of Jesus made him leave his Godhead, become a human being and die on the cross for the salvation of humankind. The poverty of Jesus made him accept all forms of deprivations during his life here on earth. Jesus’ life always involved hard work. During the thirty years of private life, Jesus labored like any other human being. The three years of public life consisted in relentless work as the Apostle of the Eternal Father. Jesus, in his life here on earth, experienced the contempt of many people who were against him. A Christian, called to live a life of suffering, needs to identify every suffering that comes into his life to that of Jesus and attempt to live them with the very spirit of Jesus.
Do I accept a life of suffering which involves perfect spiritual imitation of the crosses of Jesus Christ? Am I ready to accept my physical, mental and spiritual pains in imitation of Jesus? Do I live the humble, poor, laborious and contemptuous life of Jesus in the context of my daily life?
I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. (Is. 50: 6)