Suffering and Hope...

Welcome National Catholic Register readers.  Please read all of Father Speekman's article and take the time to bookmark his site.  He is a gem and a credit to the Catholic faith...

your "something to think about today" post.

Father John Speekman, at Homilies from Australia, brings us the real message of hope.

To speak of suffering is to speak of human experience. We all suffer and, at various times of our life, most of us suffer acutely. Even here, right now in this Church, in this particular congregation there are people suffering, and some intensely. Suffering is not just a matter of pain. There probably isn't anyone here undergoing unbearable pain at the moment but I'm betting there are people here experiencing terrible suffering:

• a spouse, husband or wife, who no longer loves you
• a son or daughter walking a road you see will lead to unhappiness, or worse still, destruction
• children no longer practicing the faith
• the terminal illness of a loved one
• unpayable bills
• slavery to gambling, drugs, alcohol
• serious divisions in the family

On and on it goes; there is suffering everywhere.

You need to read the rest in order to get the hopey part...

I have much work to do outside.  Have a wonderful Sunday.  I'll be back later...