Sirach 2:1-11
Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Mark 9:30-37
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GREAT EXPECTATIONS
"When you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials." —Sirach 2:1
To prepare ourselves for trials, we must expect them. “Anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus can expect to be persecuted” (2 Tm 3:12). Expect it. “Christ suffered in the flesh; therefore arm yourselves with His same mentality” (1 Pt 4:1).
The psalmist stated: “If an enemy had reviled me, I could have borne it...but you, my other self, my companion and my bosom friend!” (Ps 55:13, 14) It is hardest to take sufferings inflicted by those closest to us, because we don’t expect them to hurt us.
However, we must be like Jesus. He knew and expected that His apostles and disciples would abandon Him, Peter would deny Him three times, and Judas would betray Him. Jesus even knew and expected that each one of us would share in crucifying Him through our sins. Jesus prepared Himself for the greatest of all trials.
Expect suffering, but don’t dread it. Rather, in love for Jesus, rejoice in suffering (1 Pt 4:13; Col 1:24).
Prayer: Father, purify me through trials.
Promise: "If anyone wishes to rank first, he must remain the last one of all and the servant of all." —Mk 9:35
Praise: St. Peter Damian was a saintly monk, bishop, cardinal, and doctor of the Church.
(For a related teaching on Redemptive Suffering, listen to, download or order our CD 75-1 or DVD 75 on our website.)
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