"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me". Today's Bible readings deal with the theme of Taking up our Cross and following in our Lord's footsep. Our affluent society does all it can do away with the reality of suffering. In the eyes of those who are blind to the transcendent, suffering and pain are incompatible with happiness. Funeral homes makes it their profession to blur suffering. Medical science alleviates pain, the drug commercials on television advertise their pain killers and sleeping pills, and dope peddlers make it possible to escape a harsh reality. Not all of this is bad. It is service to alleviate pain, to arrange a worthy funeral, and to pray to God for help when we suffer.
However, we should regard as un-Christian an attitude that desires at any cost or dubius means (dope abuse) to do away with both mental and physical suffering that is unavoidable. Since our lives are patterned after the life, death, ressurection of the Lord, we should in faith be willing to die with him (die to our egoistic selves, which is painful process, and accept unavoidable suffering) in order to live with Him forever.
A photo taken after attending the Sunday Mass. Have a great week ahead folks!
