Recently Brother Lalith reflected about a person’s experience of personally encountering the risen Lord through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. At first, it’s extremely exhilarating, with answered prayer and numerous miracles. But as the journey continues, suffering, humiliation and apparent defeat seem to dominate.

How joyful St. Paul would have been when Jesus Himself ministered to him, revealing hitherto hidden secrets of the kingdom! But as he got into ministry, St. Paul encountered untold suffering and persecution. Still, in the midst of it all, he also experienced joy and peace that passeth all understanding promised by Jesus. With his eyes fixed on Jesus and the glory that awaited him in eternity, experiencing divine sonship, suffering became the source of St. Paul’s joy.

The third stage of the encounter comes when St. Paul becomes a blessing to the whole world. His letters, which are part of the foundation for the teaching of the church, are a testimony to this reality. In fact, Jesus himself went through immense suffering as He fought against the world’s temptations offered by Satan (Hebrews 2:10).

The martyrs and saints also experienced this reality. But through His passion, death, and resurrection, Jesus won salvation for the whole universe, transcending time and space. When St. Paul speaks of rejoicing in the face of suffering (Romans 5:3), and talks of comfort and consolation in tribulation, he is not being unrealistic or foolish, as some may suppose; rather, he speaks from personal experience. If the first reading leaves us reeling with this new approach to suffering, our Lord Jesus’ beatitudes plunge us into bewilderment. With them, Jesus establishes a new foundation for His kingdom, a new “Magna Carta”. Jesus turns upside down the values enshrined by the world.

Centuries ago, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and after that the religious leaders who added more than 600 ‘dos and ‘don’ts’ to oppress the people. But now Jesus offers a new hope to those who laboured under poverty, meekness, deprivation sorrow, and persecution. In and through their pain, they will be comforted, obtain mercy, and see God. We too, are invited to this experience of joy through suffering.

Prayer: Lord, help me to break free from the enticement the world offers, and to find joy in suffering as I fix my eyes on you. Amen