SUFFERING AND INTIMACY

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Suffering is inherent in intimacy...with Jesus Christ. It is the pivotal path to fully unite with his sacrificial love.

I never understood that when I was younger. I felt removed from the image of my Lord hanging on a cross, bloody and bony and suffering. Intellectually I understood what he did for all of us, but there was a spiritual disconnect. I did’t know that the very image that has repulsed many, has been the one vision that would draw people closer to him...that would draw me-into that sacred place, "His" sacred heart.

I imagine it takes most of us a lifetime to really get that. When we are suffering we are selfishly seeing only our own needs and desires. Because let’s face it, no one wants to suffer...really suffer and I doubt any of us would ask for the kind of suffering that Christ experienced-for us.

That’s what happened. He loved us so much that he agreed to the ultimate suffering. He gave us the gift of his life so that we might have life and love and authentic intimacy which can really only happen when we embrace the cross and allow him to carry us into the healing womb of his sacred heart. I can’t think of any love story that is more powerful than that!

And so there on the wall of my house...(several walls in fact) hangs the greatest expression of love that has ever been visualized or experienced or passed on...The ultimate gift of boundless, eternal, soul inspiring love, and the key to true intimacy with "Him" and others.

When we are intimate with “Him” he pours himself into us...filling us with his love. His power flows forth redeeming and resurrecting our fallen nature by perfecting our character. Drawing ever closer to “Him” we begin to see ourselves as he sees us and we come to understand “His” intention for our lives and the purpose of human intimacy.

No it’s not the way the world would write this story, because it isn’t about the freedom of doing only what makes us feel good. It’s about exercising our freedom to choose to turn what makes us feel uncomfortable into the one thing that transforms our humanity into illuminating intimacy.

Yes, suffering has a purpose and it is intimately more poignant than most of us can ever comprehend!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thank you for giving meaning to suffering. And thank you for making sense of the Crucifix.

May 21, 2014
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