Suffering in Love!

Friday, September 26, 2025

Hag 2:1-9; Lk 9: 18-22

Today’s Gospel highlights the meaning of ‘suffering in love’ and thus dispels the wrong notions of Christian suffering as something needless or selfish. 

Jesus’ teaching on suffering begins with his question regarding the perception of his identity by people. Even as Peter confesses the true identity of Christ, he redirects such divine revelation to the notion of a suffering Messiah instead of entertaining his disciples on their mistaken notions of a glorious Messiah. 

Jesus’ teaching highlights the following insights. 

The Suffering Messiah: The confession of Peter regarding Jesus’ Messianic identity is not tied to glory but to suffering. By reminding them of his suffering, Jesus forestalls his disciples’ expectations of a kingly messiah way ahead of time. While Jesus clears his disciples’ misunderstanding, he also lets them understand that he must walk the path of agony to glory. 

A Redemptive Suffering: Jesus’ suffering is redemptive in purpose, and therefore, it is not rooted in any self-serving justifications. When Jesus thus declares his intention to suffer, he also fulfills God’s will for humanity – that we all will be saved through the blood of Christ. Jesus shows that his death will give life to all and his wounds will heal humanity. 

Suffering in Love: Jesus’ redemptive suffering on the cross is both an example and an invitation. In Luke 9:23, Jesus teaches that ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’ While Jesus’ crucifixion showed what it means to suffer in love, the invitation is extended to all who follow him. Jesus holds suffering as an integral part of Christian love and seeks our participation in the redeeming love. 

Suffering in love is profoundly transformative. Indeed, Jesus showed on the cross that glory comes through the cross. 

Let us pray that we may understand the redemptive value of Christian suffering and learn to suffer in love, following our Master’s example.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar