Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Yaldo-Feast of
the Nativity-Freedom from Suffering
Cyril Abraham
St. Johns MTC, NY
2 The people who walked in
darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep
darkness— on them light has shined.
The Christian
community throughout the world was saddened Sunday morning(Dec. 11, 2016) to
learn of the bombing of the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo. Twenty-five people,
mostly women and children, were killed and many more injured. As heartbreaking
as the news was, there was undoubtedly a feeling of collective numbness. After
living under a constant barrage of similar news for the past few months, it is
easy to understand violence and suffering as an unavoidable part of our
existence. It has become something we accept with grim resignation and then
swiftly move on.
Christianity has a unique relationship with suffering.
We do not claim we can avoid it or live a life without it. In fact, we are
called to embrace it, to live among it, and to even boast in it (as Paul does).
And when we live such an intimate existence with suffering, we often fail to
leave room for any hope of reprieve. And this leads us to two of the most
saddening pitfalls of suffering. First, we fail to react to suffering. While we
are called to live amidst suffering, we are certainly not called to stare
impassively and idly in its face. The most vivid example of this is when Jesus
feeds the five thousand. In John 6, Jesus asks Philip, “Where shall we buy
bread for these people to eat?” and Philip replies “It would take more than
half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”. Philip
accepts the situation before him as impossible, but what he forgets, just as we
often forget, is that all things are possible with God, including a world
without suffering. Jesus did not die to maintain a broken world but rather to
make a way for us to change it. This leads us to the second pitfall of suffering:
the belief that it will always be like this. What we should remember,
especially this advent season, is that God sees our suffering and the
brokenness of this world and says that this is not what I intend for you.
Isaiah 9:2 says “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on
those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” The birth of
Christ is a powerful reminder that God’s ultimate plan is not for us to suffer
but rather to save us from our suffering. This Christmas season let us avoid
the pitfalls of suffering. Even though we are constantly surrounded by it, let
us not be complacent or accepting of the suffering around us but rather work
actively to alleviate it wherever we see it. Let us also remember that Jesus’ birth
into this world was because of the God who is neither complacent nor accepting
of suffering.
PRAYER
Father, help us to understand that pain, suffering, and brokenness are
not what You have intended for this world. Remind us that You have a plan for
every one of us. Thank you for sending Your son into this world and for Your
redemptive plan that has lifted us out of our brokenness and sin. We exalt You
and praise You above all else . Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
What actions can we take to alleviate
the pain and suffering around us?