SUFFERING WHITH FAITH AND PATIENCE

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

Suffering with Faith and Patience

The Holy Apostle James writes:

"My brethren, take the Prophets, who spoke
in the name of the Lord, as an example of
SUFFERING AND PATIENCE. Indeed, we count
them blessed who endure. You have heard of
the perseverance of Job and seen the end
intended by the Lord–that the Lord is very
compassionate and merciful…
Is anyone among
you suffering? Let him pray. [James 5:10-13].

No person is a stranger to suffering including Prophets, our Savior Himself, the Holy Apostles, the Holy Martyrs, the Saints, the Holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church and a multitude of Christians, men, women, and children throughout the centuries. We all learn how to suffer from the example set for us by Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, and the people of God throughout the ages. The genuine and true follower of Christ is not afraid of suffering especially for Him and for the Faith. Jesus said to Ananias about the new convert Paul: "For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake." [Acts 9:16]. And indeed the Holy Apostle suffered greatly for Christ. Saint Paul says, "Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often , in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in eariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." [2 Corinthians 11:25-27]. According to Saint John Chrysostomos, "Saint Paul not only embraced his sufferings but actively sought them out, viewing them as a great honor and a way to participate more fully in Christ’s suffering, considering them as ‘weapons of righteousness’ and a means to achieve a great glory in God; he rejoiced in enduring persecution and hardship for the sake of the Holy Gospel, seeing it as a privilege to be persecuted for Christ’s sake.

Like the Holy Apostle Paul, and all our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffered, we too, must emulate his holy example by embracing our own sufferings with faith, devotion, and courage and seeing them as opportunities to grow spiritually and , therefore, to demonstrate our unconditional love for our Redeemer Christ. There are of course different kinds of persecutions and sufferings in life and hardly anyone is able to avoid them completely. Nevertheless, we all must prepare ourselves to confront them with boldness, and real confidence, assured that Christ is always with us. He will not allow any suffering that befalls us to be much more than we are unable to bear. We suffer with faith and hope and rejoice over the opportunity to prove to ourselves like David the king, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid" [Psalm 27:1].

With every kind of experience in life, good or bad, we become stronger and acquire a better understanding of ourselves and God’s plan for us. We become resilient, more sure of our abilities, we come to know our weaknesses and strengths, we come to know how strong our faith in God is, and how sincere our love is for our fellowman. By the grace of God we come to know the best way to use the gifts which He has given us and become better stewards of His gifts. A good Christian strives always to serve Him with humility and meekness without expecting rewards and/or to be compensated for anything done by him, We learn from our Savior Christ, "Freely you have received, freely give" [Matthew 10:8].

The Holy Apostle Paul speaking to the Philippians says, "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but TO YOU OF SALVATION, AND THAT FROM GOD. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE IN HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE" [Philippians 1:27-28]. "To suffer for His sake" is a repeated theme in his Epistle to the Philippians. Suffering not onl bears witness to others, as Saint Paul’s chains have done, but also can serve to increase our faith. SUFFERING IS A GIFT FROM CHRIST, AS IS FAITH: IT IS A PARTICIPATION IN HIS GRACE.

Orthodox Christians wear around their necks a gold cross given to them by their Sponsor at their baptism. All Christians understand the symbolism of the cross, however, Orthodox Christians are given a cross at their baptism as a symbol of their NEW LIFE IN CHRIST, signifying that they now belong to Him and are called to "take up their cross" and follow Him throughout their lives; wearing the cross serves as a protection from all evil and a reminder of their commitment to the Christian faith and the Sacrifice made by our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross for their salvation. There is a solemn hymn to the Cross chanted on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross that says, "The Cross is the guardian of the world; the Cross is the beauty of the Church; the Cross is the might of kings; the Cross is the glory of Angels, and the wounding of demons."

Orthodox Christians offer reverence, honor and veneration to the Cross of Christ. "We venerate the Cross of Christ, by which the power of the demons and the deceit of the devil were destroyed." Throughout the centuries Orthodox Christians consistently celebrate the Cross as an emblem of victory over evil. While the cross was an intrument of torture, agony, and death, the Holy Apostle Paul associates Christ’s Cross with power. The Holy Apostle warns against fake attitudes toward the life of the Church of Corinth, "so that the Cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power" [ 1 Corinthians 1:17).  He also points out "the message of the Cross is.. the power of God" [1 Corinthians 1:18]. While not diminishing in any way the sufferings of Our Lord Christ endured, Saint Paul proclaims the triumph of the Lord and Savior on the Cross. Also, Saint Justin Martyr states, "The concealed power of God was in Christ the crucified."

The Holy Orthodox Fathers of the Church speaking to believers on suffering write: "If you love Christ God, then endure as He endured, and do all that is pleasing to Him." Also, You are truly free only when you are struggling, when you are present on the cross." Furthermore, "If a man (a person) views life as a time of sorrows, correction, and purification, then suffering and pain become not only bearable, but even useful." We all know and believe that suffering is a part of earthly life, and that it can be a way to grow spiritually.

A Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ
for one suffering:

" O Lord Jesus Christ our Savior, the Physician of our
souls and bodies, Who didst become Man and suffer
death on the Cross for our salvation, and through Thy
Thy tender love and compassion didst heal all manner
of sickness and affliction, do Thou, O Lord, visit me in
my suffering and grant me grace and strength to bear
it with faith and a humble and contrite heart and to
turn my suffering and distress into a greater love for
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

_______________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George