MY FAITH DURING INFIRMITY

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" ...In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking

in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church." (I Cor 1, 24)

One finds these words of the Apostle Paul, at the end of a long passage linked to suffering enlightened by the Word of God and so much a part of the human history. They have the value of a definitive discovery, which is accompanied by joy. For this reason the Apostle writes: " Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake." (ibid.)

It is a question about the cause , the reason, the purpose (why?) and definitely the meaning of suffering? This questioning not only accompanies human suffering, but even seems to define the human content, the reason for suffering, especially human suffering.

Obviously, the pain of the physical type is amply widespread in the animal world. But only the suffering human being, suffers and asks himself "why?" He suffers in an even deeper way, humanly speaking, if he does not find a satisfying answer. This is a difficult question, much like another question, the question of evil. Why evil?

Why is there evil in the world? When we put the question this way, another question comes to mind, at least to a certain extent, a question also about suffering. Either one of these questions is difficult, whether it is posed one-on-one, or collectively or even when the question is asked of God. In fact, man does not ask this question of the world, although many times suffering issues directly from the world; rather, he asks God as Creator and the Lord of Creation.

Man does ask such a question of God with all of the movement of his heart and with the mind full of confusion and worry. God waits for the question listens to it, as we see in Revelation in the Old Testament, in the Book of Job, where the question has found living expression.

The witness of the Cross and of the Resurrection of Christ have given to the Church and to humanity a specific Gospel of suffering. The Redeemer himself has written this Gospel at first with his own suffering assumed out of love in order that man "might not die but might have eternal life." This suffering, together with the living word of his own teaching, has become an abundant resource to all those who have taken part in the suffering of Jesus-all the way from the first generation of his disciples and confessors to their successors through the course of the centuries.

Above all, to be evangelically and historically precise, we note that right next to Christ, in the very first and highly esteemed position next to Him, is always his Mother, most holy because of her exemplary testimony in that her entire life reflects this particular Gospel of suffering. In her numerous and intense sufferings are combined in such a close connection and bond, that they are proof of her unshakeable faith. They have made a contribution to the redemption of all. In the light of the illustrious example of Christ, reflected with remarkable evidence in the life of his Mother, the Gospel of suffering mediates the experience and the work of the Apostles and becomes an inexhaustible source for ever new generations which they are bringing into the history of the Church.

The Gospel of suffering means not only the presence of suffering in the Gospel, as one of the themes of the Good News; but it is also the revelation, the salvific power and salvific meaning of suffering in the messianic mission of Christ, and in consequence, in the mission and in the vocation of the Church.

Christ does not conceal from his listeners the necessity of suffering. Very clearly he said: "If anyone wishes to come after me......he must take up his cross every day."

If the first great chapter of the Gospel of suffering has been written by those long generations that suffered persecution for Christ, then it is followed closely by a long history of another great chapter in this Gospel. All those who are suffering together with Christ are writing it, uniting their own human suffering to the suffering of salvation. Christ, by means of his own salvific suffering is found very much present within all human suffering and can act from within that suffering by the power of his Spirit of Truth and of Consolation.