Declaring the power of salvific suffering the Apostle Paul says "In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the church".
These words seem to be found at the end of the long road that winds through the suffering which forms part of the history of man and which is illuminated by the Word of God. These words have as it were the value of a final discovery, which is accompanied by joy. For this reason Saint Paul writes "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake." The joy comes from the discovery of the meaning of suffering, and this discovery even if it is most personally shared in by Paul of Tarsus who wrote these words, is at the same time valid for others. The Apostle shares his own discovery and rejoices in it because of all those whom it can help - just as it helped him - to understand the salvific meaning of suffering. Cf.(Salvifici doloris (1)).
There are many forms of suffering. This month we will look at the suffering of illness and how it can have tremendous meaning and be of service and help to others.
Bernadette's story
This is a true story about a girl who lived most of her life with illness. It describes some of her sufferings and how she used them to help others.
Bernadette was born in Dublin City on 24th February 1959 She was the second of four children. She had an older sister and a younger sister and brother. Bernadette had perfect health up to the age of three. She had her tonsils removed, there were complications and this lead to ill health. She was diagnosed with the condition of epilepsy and it steadily grew worse. Bernadette was very weak from her illness but continued to play as a normal child and always maintained a cheerful and witty disposition. Her older sister Mary was very close to her and always looked out for her. One day while returning from school, Bernadette stepped out under a bus and Mary quickly pulled her to safety. It was God's plan that Bernadette should not die at this time but should live a life of suffering for other souls.
Bernadette happily made her First Holy Communion at the age of 6 years and she looked radiant. People would stop to comment on her physical beauty. At the age of 12 she had to leave school as the attacks of epilepsy were so bad and at this stage it was not possible for her to attend. Her mother Mary suffered many visits from the school Inspector before finally he believed how sick Bernadette actually was.
Bernadette's favourite person was her doctor. She was an elderly caring woman who never failed to visit her when she most needed it. Bernadette's life was now a life of intense suffering known mostly to her family and doctor. The house was a place filled with Bernadette's joy, laughter, great suffering and love. She lived through her sisters and brother. She loved to hear about what they did in their day and what saddened them or brought them joy. Bernadette's father bought her a large wooden armchair which was placed in a corner of the tiny kitchen. She would sit here and talk with her family. When she was well enough she would attempt to tidy the dishes and wash up. She always warned her sisters not to tell their mother as she knew she would only give out to her for tiring herself. Bernadette had a tremendous sense of humour which rang through the house daily.
As she got into her teens the illness was beginning to take over her body. On one occasion she collapsed under the hot tap while washing herself in the bathroom. Her older sister Mary found her and quickly got her parents to help. By the time they got upstairs, poor Bernadette had already suffered so much pain. She had badly burnt her lower arm and hand and when the doctor arrived her cardigan had to be cut off her arm bringing with it her skin. It tooks months for the burn to heal and she was left with a permanent scar. Her doctor faithfully visited her daily until her arm healed. Bernadette was subject to many major seizures a day and this left her exhausted. Regularly she would become semiconscious as a result of the medicine being too much for her and she would have to be taken to hospital by ambulance to have her system pumped out.
As the illness took more and more out of Bernadette, she gradually became bedridden. Her mother Mary would try to walk her around her bedroom just to give her some exercise. Each day either her mother or sisters and brother would bring her her meals and help to feed her. Her younger sister would wash her hair and help her dress. On other occasions she fell and broke her tooth and her whole face got infected and swollen. She broke her leg and had to go to hospital for six months for it to heal. Because she was so weak she could not have her teeth operated on and so she suffered much pain with rotten teeth and stripped nerves. Despite having nothing but a life of pain and suffering, Bernadette lived in so much joy. It was the joy in knowing that her suffering was not wasted but could help so many others. It was her mother who was a devout catholic who told Bernadette all about the meaning of suffering and the merit in offering it up for the souls of others. This was always Bernadette's mission. She loved Our Blessed Lady and always offered the Rosary for the souls of others. Her mother would come home from the grocery shopping and ask Bernadette to offer prayers for many different people and she would always gladly offer them up.
Bernadette's one wish in life was to become a second Saint Bernadette. She had heard of Lourdes and of Saint Bernadette and she longed to go to Lourdes. She even wished she would die there. She did get to go to Lourdes but a cure was not for her.
Bernadette suffered on joyfully and continued her prayers for others to Our Blessed Lady. Just before she died she was staying with her younger sister and she showed her a large growth that hung from under her nighty. On seeing it her sister gasped in horror. It was a tumour which could not be treated due to her severe condition. On the 7th June 1989, Bernadette was found dead in her bed by her mother. She had slumped over and in her hands were her Rosary beads. Even as she was dying she was praying to Our Blessed Lady probably for the souls of others. At her funeral mass the church was packed. Although she lead a hidden life and was not known by many, the power of her prayers was highlighted by the numbers who attended her funeral. Like Saint Paul, Bernadette found joy in suffering for others and lived only for Christ. May her life be an example to others who suffer from illness and may she rest in peace.
Amen.
Suffering is of such inestimable redemptive worth, that nothing equals it in heaven or on earth. As Our Lord told Saint Faustina; "If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering." (p. 1805)
The saints teach us that suffering is of such great merit, that it is greater than external works such as preaching, writing or even working miracles;
The Sacrament of the Sick
Bernadette's favourite person was her doctor. She was an elderly caring woman who never failed to visit her when she most needed it. Bernadette's life was now a life of intense suffering known mostly to her family and doctor. The house was a place filled with Bernadette's joy, laughter, great suffering and love. She lived through her sisters and brother. She loved to hear about what they did in their day and what saddened them or brought them joy. Bernadette's father bought her a large wooden armchair which was placed in a corner of the tiny kitchen. She would sit here and talk with her family. When she was well enough she would attempt to tidy the dishes and wash up. She always warned her sisters not to tell their mother as she knew she would only give out to her for tiring herself. Bernadette had a tremendous sense of humour which rang through the house daily.
As she got into her teens the illness was beginning to take over her body. On one occasion she collapsed under the hot tap while washing herself in the bathroom. Her older sister Mary found her and quickly got her parents to help. By the time they got upstairs, poor Bernadette had already suffered so much pain. She had badly burnt her lower arm and hand and when the doctor arrived her cardigan had to be cut off her arm bringing with it her skin. It tooks months for the burn to heal and she was left with a permanent scar. Her doctor faithfully visited her daily until her arm healed. Bernadette was subject to many major seizures a day and this left her exhausted. Regularly she would become semiconscious as a result of the medicine being too much for her and she would have to be taken to hospital by ambulance to have her system pumped out.
As the illness took more and more out of Bernadette, she gradually became bedridden. Her mother Mary would try to walk her around her bedroom just to give her some exercise. Each day either her mother or sisters and brother would bring her her meals and help to feed her. Her younger sister would wash her hair and help her dress. On other occasions she fell and broke her tooth and her whole face got infected and swollen. She broke her leg and had to go to hospital for six months for it to heal. Because she was so weak she could not have her teeth operated on and so she suffered much pain with rotten teeth and stripped nerves. Despite having nothing but a life of pain and suffering, Bernadette lived in so much joy. It was the joy in knowing that her suffering was not wasted but could help so many others. It was her mother who was a devout catholic who told Bernadette all about the meaning of suffering and the merit in offering it up for the souls of others. This was always Bernadette's mission. She loved Our Blessed Lady and always offered the Rosary for the souls of others. Her mother would come home from the grocery shopping and ask Bernadette to offer prayers for many different people and she would always gladly offer them up.
Bernadette's one wish in life was to become a second Saint Bernadette. She had heard of Lourdes and of Saint Bernadette and she longed to go to Lourdes. She even wished she would die there. She did get to go to Lourdes but a cure was not for her.
Bernadette suffered on joyfully and continued her prayers for others to Our Blessed Lady. Just before she died she was staying with her younger sister and she showed her a large growth that hung from under her nighty. On seeing it her sister gasped in horror. It was a tumour which could not be treated due to her severe condition. On the 7th June 1989, Bernadette was found dead in her bed by her mother. She had slumped over and in her hands were her Rosary beads. Even as she was dying she was praying to Our Blessed Lady probably for the souls of others. At her funeral mass the church was packed. Although she lead a hidden life and was not known by many, the power of her prayers was highlighted by the numbers who attended her funeral. Like Saint Paul, Bernadette found joy in suffering for others and lived only for Christ. May her life be an example to others who suffer from illness and may she rest in peace.
Amen.
Suffering is of such inestimable redemptive worth, that nothing equals it in heaven or on earth. As Our Lord told Saint Faustina; "If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering." (p. 1805)
"You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone." (Jesus to Saint Faustina).
Union with the Passion of Christ. By the grace of this sacrament the sick person receives the strength and the gift of uniting himself more closely to Christ's Passion: in a certain way he is consecrated to bear fruit by configuration to the Saviour's redemptive Passion. Suffering, a consequence of original sin, acquires a new meaning; it becomes a participation in the saving work of Jesus.cf. (CCC1521).
Let up remember in our prayers all God's little one's who are suffering from illness. May they be strengthened by his grace and supported with his love.
Let up remember in our prayers all God's little one's who are suffering from illness. May they be strengthened by his grace and supported with his love.