Devotional Thoguht of the Day:

³⁷  “Those who love their father or mother more than me are not fit to be my disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than me are not fit to be my disciples. ³⁸  Those who do not take up their cross and follow in my steps are not fit to be my disciples. ³⁹  Those who try to gain their own life will lose it; but those who lose their life for my sake will gain it. Matthew 10:37-39 (TEV)

²⁶  That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. ²⁷  I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (TEV)

989         Haven’t you gone against your own preference, your whims, some time, in something? You must realise that the One who asks you is nailed to a Cross, suffering in all his senses and faculties, with a crown of thorns on his head… for you.

There is a fact that there is nothing you can do, no price you can pay, no acts that can earn you salvation,

Some people take that information and make it sound like Christianity is a simple, pain free acceptance of the grace of God. And even more of us live as if it is, as if the moment we are baptized we begin to live the good life, that there is no more pain and suffering, as if we enter heaven, while remaiing here on earth.

In a way, there is soething to what they say, for God is truly with us.

Yet we still will have pressures in our life, we will still be tempted with sin at our weakest points, we will encounter tragedies and trauma, we will be sent into the middle of messes by God, to bring His peace and healing where there isn’t any.

In view of this the scriptures point out Jesus call to keep Him as our priority, to love Him more than anyoen else, including our own lives. To be willing to suffer and even die on a cross.

Or more challenging, to embrace disciplines so that our lives are not in vain, that while we bring others to know the love of God, we somehow slip away.

It is this reason that I think the idea of embracing the sufferig we will endure ( not that we cause ourselves) with the midnset of Christ is not law, but rather the purest gospel. These blessings in disguise often keep us dependent on God, unable ot comfort ourselves, and therefore relying on the Holy Spirit.

It sounds odd to think of these things as blessings, as gospel and yet ina real sense they are. For they remind us that God is still present, caring, proving and comforting.

You don’t have to like suffering, you don’t have to like discipline, but there is something that changes it, and in a way, makes it beautiful.

He is with you.

Even when life isn’t heavenly.

Escriva, Josemaria. Furrow (Kindle Locations 4001-4004). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.