Life can be trying. And some days are more of a struggle than others. It’s in difficult times that we can really learn the value of our faith—in God and in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Some people lose faith in times of trial, perhaps because they’ve expected that if they live as a follower of Christ, he will make the way smooth for them. Then, when the road gets bumpy or there’s an unexpected detour, they throw up their hands and give up on God.
Others—I hope you’re among them!—lean into their faith and draw on God’s strength and comfort in troubled times. Jesus told his followers that there would be suffering and opposition, and he promised, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus accepted horrendous suffering for our sake, and he will not abandon us in our times of trial.
It is through Christ’s Paschal Mystery—the suffering, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus—that we are saved! And it is to this Paschal Mystery that we can turn when we are brought low by life’s challenges. Easter Sunday follows Good Friday, light follows darkness, hope follows despair, and joy follows sadness—if we but believe! Jesus says to us, as he says to the synagogue official in Sunday’s Gospel, “Do not be afraid; just have faith” (Mark 5:36).
Image credit: Virginia CASTRO/CIRIC
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