Daily Reflections

September 24, 2011
SUFFERING MAKES US BETTER PERSONS
By Father Sandy Enhaynes

When I was a newly ordained priest in our diocese, I was immediately assigned to be part of the formation team in the seminary. Since I was fresh out of the seminary, most of the seminarians were about my age. This helped me a lot in leveling with them. I was more like a brother and companion to them rather than an authority figure who was always on the lookout for offenses they would commit — something that they really detested.
While the setup really worked for them and me, I still managed to instill discipline and decorum among the seminarians even if I knew that by doing so, they would see me differently from how they would want me to be. In these situations, I would always tell them, “The friend that you see in me wants to make your life here in the seminary more bearable, with less difficulties, with so much fun, or with no “suffering,” so to speak. But if I am to be your real friend, I cannot just allow that to happen. I know that if I will make your life here troublefree, I will be doing you more harm than good. All the difficulties, discomforts and sufferings you experience here all contribute to make you better persons and priests in the future. To make your life devoid of all these may make you weaklings. Worse, with that kind of formation, if ever you become priests you won’t be strong enough to make it to your second year.”
Sufferings are part and parcel of life. And even if we don’t want to admit it, without them we just cannot make it in this world. A man who has acquired wealth with much ease or without difficulty is bound to lose it in no time. We get to appreciate our blessings if we know how hard we have worked to achieve it. That is an inescapable rule of life. And the same is true with faith. That is the path Jesus trod and it will surely give us great benefit if we travel the same route. Travelling by way of the cross will surely lead us to the glory of the resurrection. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes

Reflection Question:
How do you consider sufferings and difficulties in life? Do you immediately want to get rid of them? Or do you try and see what lessons you can learn from them?

Lord, I cling to You in times of difficulties. I know that You allow them in my life because I can learn from them.

St. Bercthun, pray for us.