Mystery of Suffering

Fr. Francis Scaria

The mystery of suffering is hidden in the greatest Mystery of God. Somehow pain and suffering constitute a mystery within the infinite plan of God. Lk 9:45 says that although this mystery was hidden from the disciples, they were afraid to ask Him. Only God who is the revealer and interpreter of the mysteries (cf. Dan 2) can adequately unravel the mystery of suffering to us. There is an inevitable connection between Kingdom and the ‘cup’ of suffering. Otherwise, the Lord would not have asked the Zebedee sons, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" (Mk 10:38). God brings salvation to humanity through suffering and death. Suffering and death are means of redemption. Do we recognize the redemptive value of our sufferings? Jesus offers us his cup at the Eucharistic table. Does it not urge us to drink the cup of suffering too?