LOVE TO SUFFER - One Bread, One Body, 9/15/2009

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009, Our Lady of Sorrows

Hebrews 5:7-9, Psalm 31:2-6, 15-16, 20, John 19:25-27, or Luke 2:33-35
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/091509.shtml

LOVE TO SUFFER

"Near the cross of Jesus there stood His mother." —John 19:25

Every human being naturally tries to avoid suffering. However, love can be
stronger than our natural attraction to pleasure and aversion to pain.
"For stern as death is love, relentless as the nether world is devotion;
its flames are a blazing fire" (Sg 8:6). Like Ruth, love can motivate us
to walk into a future which seems hopelessly lonely and impoverished (Ru
1:16-17). Like Mary Magdalene, love can drive us to choose tears of
mourning in the cemetery in preference to worldly pleasures (Jn 20:11).
Like Mary, Jesus' mother, love calls us to stand near the cross, even if
we can't be on the cross with Him (Jn 19:25).

Love motivates us to share with our Lover, even in suffering. We are
desirous of the compassion of love, even though we are afraid of the
passion of suffering. We feel repelled by suffering but compelled to
suffer with Jesus. In one sense, Jesus is still being crucified and held
up to contempt (Heb 6:6).

Is your love drawing you to the cross? Your mother Mary will help you. "At
the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful mother weeping, close to
Jesus to the last."

Prayer: Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, may I fill up what is
lacking in Your sufferings (Col 1:24). May my love for You be stronger
than my fear of suffering.

Promise: "In the days when He was in the flesh, He offered prayers and
supplications with loud cries and tears to God, Who was able to save Him
from death, and He was heard because of His reverence." —Heb 5:7

Praise: Mary knew of and suffered with Jesus' cross longer and deeper than
anyone else. Her love of Christ impelled her to endure His brutal
sufferings.

(For a related teaching, order our tape on "Developing a Deep Personal
Relationship with Jesus" on audio AV 52-1 or video V-52.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
August 1, 2009 through September 30, 2009
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, February 11, 2009

The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.

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