Suffering: An Expression of the Love of God
My God … I pray you to grant me the gift of suffering for your love as much as I would like to, and as much as you merit. Let me suffer thus only in order to love you, who are worthy of infinite love, and to love you without reward … of any kind. (OOCC, X, pp. 273- 274; STA, 325)
A Christian is not only a person who believes in Christ, but also one who is ready to suffer for Christ. For a Christian, there is meaning in suffering because Jesus, whom he believes in, has won the crown of glory by means of the crown of thorns. Therefore, in Christian life suffering becomes an expression of the love of God. St. Vincent Pallotti often prayed to God to grant him the gift of suffering because he believed that through accepting the suffering in his life and living it joyfully, he could love God as much as he deserved. According to him, suffering, when accepted and lived without the expectation of any reward, would become worthy of God’s infinite love. Inspired by this truth, St. Vincent Pallotti embraced all forms of suffering and lived them as occasions through which he expressed his love for God. In this manner, St. Vincent was able to turn the many suffering moments of his life into moments of love and grace, thereby making even the most painful events of his life as occasions to experience God’s love for him and bring God the glory he deserved.
Do I constantly remind myself of the fact that Jesus won the crown of glory by the crown of thorns? Do I accept my sufferings and express my love of God through them? Am I able to turn my moments of pain into moments of love and grace? Do I glorify God through my suffering?
To you it has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him. (Phil. 1: 29)