Wednesday of week 4 in Ordinary Time
First reading – Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15
“Suffering is part of your training”. The author is presenting a Christian way of looking at our difficulties and sufferings. The suffering is part of our training. God is treating us as his sons and daughters. He granted us all the freedom. Our freedom and wrong choices of ours or others bring suffering to us. Then God as a Father stands at our side and transforms our pain into a redemptive suffering as Jesus on the cross. Cross lead to resurrection. That is why the author says, “it bears fruit in peace and goodness”. Therefore, we should stop complaining about our difficulties and must see it in a different perspective. Our difficulties and pain must not deviate us from our path of Christian choices. “So, hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will not be wrenched, it will grow strong again”. The suffering must not be transformed into weaknesses but must be transformed into strength to walk in the way of the Lord. Strength to make peace with all and to take out any hatred in us. Let’s reflect: Am I transforming my sufferings into strength to make peace with everyone or into weakness to be angry with everyone?