Sufferings as part of Christian life

Speech by Rev. Dr Antony Kariyil, CMI, Prior General of the CMI, on January 18, 2004 at Resurrection Church, Indiranagar, Bangalore

Author: Jobi Varghese   Date: March 1, 2004

It was Sunday, 18th January, 2004. The occasion was the feast of St Sebastian at the Resurrection Church, Indiranagar, Bangalore. The whole Malayali community was glad to have got Fr Antony Kariyil, the spiritual advisor of the community for several years, to lead the Malayalam Mass.

Amidst the festivities of the feast, Fr Antony delivered a thought-provoking speech in between the Holy Mass. He spoke briefly of the life of St Sebastian, the saint who suffered under his Roman emperor for the sake of his faith and for his Lord Jesus Christ. St Sebastian is an epitome of staunch support, indomitable faith, and extraordinary suffering.

Now, Fr Antony conveyed a significant message: That we should not associate sufferings and tribulations with punishment; instead, we should regard our afflictions and hardships as part of human life. To presume that sufferings and travails are the results of our wrongdoing is not just correct. If it were so, why do those who haven't sinned have to undergo trials and misfortunes? Why did Jesus, who never sinned, have to go through the insults and torments? Why do many innocent people have to endure tests and afflictions? And why are many sinners not suffering, at least apparently?

The answer to all the above, Fr Antony continued, is simple: Our sufferings come from God; they are given to us by Him with His knowledge, to make us closer to Him; to make us His own. God gives us those ordeals to mould us into better human beings. Let us convert our pains and hardships into times of celebration, by getting closer to God, by identifying us with the anguish that God's only son went through. Let us take a cue from Jesus who said: "Thy will be done."

The message could not have come at a better time than the occasion of the feast of St Sebastian, the embodiment of human suffering and supreme faith.

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