Homily: June 6, 2024, Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time.

“Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory.”

Before Paul was converted, he was enjoying success, recognition, authority and power as a Christian persecutor. But when he encountered Jesus and began to love the Lord and His sheep with all his heart, all his understanding, and all his strength, the sufferings also began to come to him, and he had to ‘bear with everything’.

We all suffer in one way or another. We all have our own crosses to carry, but it is important to know whether we are carrying a cross because of salvation or because of our own wrong actions.

There is an effect to every cause, and a consequence to every action. The consequence of wrong decisions, foolish actions, prideful deeds, selfish greed, over-ambitious endeavor, unhealthy relationships, financial mismanagement, and addictive habits is suffering. And these are self-inflicted sufferings, they are not salvific.

There is another set of suffering that comes with this life in this world, which is already tainted with sin and its consequences, 

thus loss of a loved one to death, major illness, disabilities by birth or hereditary medical conditions bring about sufferings too. 

However, these sufferings when accepted and managed with divine grace, will serve to purify our spirits and purge our souls. Such sufferings when endured with a faith outlook will sanctify us.

St. Paul suffered a lot because he was preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. What he did was not wrong, but it triggered hostile reactions or violent disapprovals from others who lacked understanding and faith. Those invited trouble, and brought about suffering for Paul, a suffering which was unavoidable if he continued his mission. Such a suffering sanctifies and is salvific.

We all suffer. What caused our sufferings?

If we suffer for the sake of the gospel, then we can expect a crown of glory that awaits us at the end of our lives, like St. Paul who said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Amen.