It is fair enough and rightly so that the human person has so much questions about the evil of our world. But it does indicate, to a large extent, how much we take for granted the good in and around us. Lent is one of those moments of reflection when we are drawn to tap from the strength and grace of goodness in and around us. It is a willingness to go that extra mile in seeing that goodness triumphs over evil. Sometimes, we marvel at what we can actually accomplish during the holy season of lent.

The suffering of Christ is not suffering for the sake of suffering. Neither does Christ want us to suffer for the sake of suffering. It is a sacrifice; willingness to freely choose to suffer for the good of others. By this he transforms the meaning of suffering and pain; urging us to follow the steps of the suffering servant, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as ransom for all who are willing to receive such benevolence. How can my suffering be of good to others even when it is a natural or inflicted suffering? No one who inflicts suffering and pain on others or to himself for the sake of suffering is contributing to good, but rather promotes evil. However, our suffering can help us see what others go through. Such understanding brings acceptance; acceptance brings patience; patience increases hope in the apparent despair.

Suffering and pain are often dreaded to the point that it could intimidate us; take advantage of our lives and our attitude to life. But we are called to face up to suffering and pain; not to go for it or wish that to anyone but to face it with courage when it comes. The pain of suffering and the weariness of the human frailty can not be trivialised. Jesus did face his passion and death with great pain. He asked his Father to let this cup of suffering pass him by if possible. But he knew it was for this he has come into the world. He has not come to suffer and glorify suffering. He has come to save humanity from eternal suffering by offering us a better approach to the suffering of humanity; the way of self-sacrifice. By this self-sacrifice we understand the sufferings of others and support them. While on earth, Jesus made both silent and loud cry as a petition to his Father. By this very act, he invites us to offer our suffering and that of others as prayerful sacrifice to God. Indeed, sometimes, our pain and suffering may not make meanings to us or to those around us; but understood by those who go through what we go through and those who have been through what we have been through. But above all understood by God who knows every little pain in our minds and bodies.

By the cross of Christ, we learn the true meaning of loss and gain; knowing that to gain we must lose something. To become a better new self we must have to lose the old self; to make a new covenant or commitment to God the Old has to give way to the New; God’s law becomes his love written in our hearts. We count as loss all that gives us a temporal pleasure and long term suffering; embracing the temporal discomfort that leads us to gain life in its fullness. Nothing good comes so easy. Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground it remains a single grain. But if it falls and dies, it bears much fruit, fruit that will beget more fruits in eternal cycle. This is what eternity is all about, the victory of goodness over evil; In faith, through the self-sacrifice of charity, we journey with Christ in hope towards the day of Resurrection.