Whom among your loved ones are you most deeply concerned about?
For whom do your tears fall, and your worries and fears threaten to engulf you?
I’ve known these tears, fears and worries myself.
And we all have that urge to DO SOMETHING when we are worried about a child, a spouse, a parent or another loved one.
Many times we simply spiral around and around in worry and despair, which only leads us further into our own selves, disconnecting us from what can truly bring the hope and healing we long for. And in doing so, we miss the tremendous gift of grace and healing that Christ wants to pour into us through His merciful gift of redemptive suffering.
Our worries and fears don’t bring about healing. But there IS something that we can do that DOES!
DON’T WASTE YOUR SUFFERING!
Our own suffering –offered redemptively -is absolutely the greatest gift that we can offer to those we are worried about!
Here’s how it can work in action – an example of what you might say to Christ in prayer with pure intent, while reflecting upon His Passion and all that He endured for our redemption and salvation in light of the situation concerning you, being mindful of His unfathomable Love and Mercy with the sure knowledge that He desires every soul to be with Him, and that He works everything for the ultimate good in ways that are far beyond our human understanding.
“Jesus, my heart is hurting over _____________ (insert whatever emotion or concern is on your heart), and I’m so concerned about my _________________ (insert your spouse, child, parent, grandchild, friend, other loved one) and their ________________(insert the illness, need for conversion/salvation, relationship issues, job situation, etc.).
We continue, then, by offering our suffering to Christ – as well as everything else (every sorrow, every tear, every act of mercy, even our joy and every bit of our work – everything! ) and uniting all to the Crucified Christ, by saying something like this:
“I will suffer this Lord – I choose to endure this pain for them – uniting it with your suffering on the cross.”
We thus are transformed, little by little, into a vessel of His love, mercy, and grace by our cooperation with Him, by our choosing to unite our suffering to His own, for the sake of others. And the grace He pours out from His Merciful Heart brings healing that is beyond this world and our understanding.
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT SUFFERING IS A GIFT ?
It’s true….suffering hurts. That’s why it’s called suffering!
I say to you that suffering – ultimately – is a gift because I’ve experienced the healing that comes from redemptively suffering myself, in my own life, and in the lives of those I love by immersing in this beautiful truth. It seems beyond belief, I know…
When you are in the throes of a deep situation, it can seem that the waves of grief, confusion, fear or loneliness can overtake you. But it’s in these very moments that the most effective means to bring healing to our loved ones (as well as the beautiful unexpected gift our own healing!) comes by immersing in the richness of what our faith teaches about suffering well.
And peace that surpasses all understanding begins to abide with you amidst the suffering, like the dewfall from Heaven….
In ways beyond words and the limits of human reason, Christ transforms our little offerings into the most effective means (through His Mercy and sufficient grace) that bring healing beyond our wildest imagination, restoring our loved ones through our humble offerings of redemptive suffering. MINDBLOWING….
In prayerful reflection, I’ve come to know that Christ’s Divine Mercy has been the answer in every struggle of my life. Even when I didn’t have a clue about Divine Mercy, Christ was always pursuing me – He’s still pursuing me – drawing me as His beloved into His Sacred, Pierced Heart, teaching me His Love, His Mercy, and offering me the graces I need at every moment to trust ever more deeply in Him and His unfathomable Mercy – no matter what was – or is – happening around me.
Perseverance in what may be called “a pilgrimage of holiness” has borne (and is bearing!) fruits of conversion and healing through His Mercy in those souls that I’ve placed in His Heart – and healing in my own soul as quite an unexpected gift given through humble intercession for others.
Magnificence…and Peace Beyond My Understanding…
…these are the only words I have to describe my personal experience of the Lord’s healing He has brought to the souls I love – and my own soul through learning to redemptively suffer.
Let’s continue our Novena today, focusing our prayer and hearts upon the poverty of spirit within those who do not believe in God, and those who do not yet know Me, offering the ache in our hearts for those whom we love as a redemptive offering to Christ. For indeed, a lack of belief in God, or distortions in those beliefs bring great suffering to souls who are blind to as the cause of the troubles that surround them.
The Fourth Day
Today bring to Me those who do not believe in God, and those who do not yet know Me. I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.
Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.