“No pain, no gain” – we’re all familiar with that slogan. It’s a very well-worn admonition that reminds us of the fact that some pain is almost always required in order to accomplish what is important in life. It’s often used in reference to exercise or sports training but the saying holds true with regard to growing in our love for the Lord and living as faithful disciples of Jesus as well.
In our first reading this morning, we are given a look into the heart of the prophet Jeremiah, and the pain and suffering he experienced as a result of being faithful to God’s call to serve as his prophet. The words of Jeremiah are powerful and poignant, “You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed. All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me.”
Clearly, Jeremiah is suffering. But, these aren’t words of surrender or defeat on the part of Jeremiah, but an honest expression of the struggles and personal price he has paid as a result of speaking the word of the Lord to the Israelites to call them to turn away from sin and renew their faith and trust in the Lord.
And although Jeremiah suffered as a result of his fidelity to God’s call to serve as a prophet, his words make it clear that he also experienced an inexplicable joy as a result of being faithful to God’s plan for his life. We hear him declare: “I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” He simply can’t hold it in. The peace he experiences when he does God’s will is too great to deny.
Our second reading today speaks of pain and sacrifice as a fundamental requirement for leading lives that are holy and pleasing to God. It is as if he is speaking to us today when we hear Saint Paul urge the early Christians in Thessalonica not to be conformed to their present age. This requires making the decision each day to set aside personal ambitions and desires, to avoid the temptations of this world and to make our number one priority that of being faithful to God’s will for our lives.
Finally, the teaching of Jesus in today’s Gospel that whoever wishes to follow him must take up their cross and follow him leaves no room for doubt that the pain of sacrifice is a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement for being a faithful disciple. So, if we want to live as faithful disciples of Jesus and come to experience the inexhaustible treasure and blessings of the kingdom of God more fully, we have no choice but to take up our cross each day and follow Jesus.
Now, you may ask yourselves, “Why would an all-good God call us to suffering and pain?” It all started with Adam and Eve. Before they sinned, they lived in blessed communion with God and with each other. After they sinned, they were banished from the beautiful Garden of Eden and we hear that the struggle all began symbolically with Cain slaying his brother, Abel.
Of course, this could lead us to complain: “So why do we have to suffer for what they did?” But, if we’re honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that, given the chance, we would have failed as badly as they did. After all, who here doesn’t like to play God? Pay attention to how you pray when you find yourself facing some difficulty. Don’t we present our problems to the Lord with our own ready solution? It’s as if we know better than God! Rather, we should come before God with our problems and ask him for the wisdom to understand why he has sent them to us and the courage to face them according to his will. So, we find ourselves in this world where our struggles with coming to understand, accept and proclaim the fullness of the truth inevitably leads to pain and suffering. The people of Jeremiah’s time struggled with this, as did the people in the time of Jesus. And when we find ourselves in the midst of suffering, our faith response should not be “Why me?” Rather, we should recognize that these trials are necessary preparation for our future glory. In this world, we find the cross. The place for the crown is in heaven. Let us pray for the humility, courage and fortitude to continue the great work that Jesus began as he proclaimed: “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” In other words – no pain, no gain. If we’re willing to do that for a sports trophy or a better job, let us listen carefully to God’s word and follow closely in the footsteps of our Lord. He leads us from the pain of the cross that we will all have to suffer in our lives to the glory of the resurrection that is our eternal hope, where there is no suffering or pain but only eternal joy!