C
choliks
Guest
I was assisting in a recollection for college students. The theme was “Suffering: In Communion with Christ and His Church”. At the end of the recollection, I was asked to facilitate the faith sharing among some of the students. In closing the group sharing, I had to synthesize what they shared and connect it to the theme. However, I was out of time and was asked by the organizer to link everything to the sacraments as they are going to have the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Mass after.
In linking to the sacraments, I hastily said the following things to the students:
*Amidst our suffering today, a lot of us would wonder: “Where is God in all these? Since He loves us, why won’t He take this suffering from us?”
My response to that is: I believe He is showing us how to go about suffering. He is showing us an example. He, too, suffered (while pointing at the crucifix). The original meaning of the cross is suffering and death. But because He gave His life for us out of love, the cross was given a new meaning: salvation and life. His loving sacrifice gave value to our own suffering. If we follow Him and suffer out of love, it becomes a loving sacrifice. Indeed if we carry our crosses out of love, the yoke becomes easy, and the burden, light. If we think studying is a heavy cross, then bear it out of love for your parents, who are also sacrificing in order for you get a decent education.
Now the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the best opportunity for us to partake in His loving sacrifice. Once we receive Him in the Eucharist, we are united in Him, and we, ourselves, become part of the sacrifice. However, in order to make this a perfect sacrifice we have to be clean, much like an unblemished lamb. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is there to cleanse us of our sins. Remember this when you go to Mass later…*
Now, I need your help. I need to know if I said things correctly… Thanks in advance.
In linking to the sacraments, I hastily said the following things to the students:
*Amidst our suffering today, a lot of us would wonder: “Where is God in all these? Since He loves us, why won’t He take this suffering from us?”
My response to that is: I believe He is showing us how to go about suffering. He is showing us an example. He, too, suffered (while pointing at the crucifix). The original meaning of the cross is suffering and death. But because He gave His life for us out of love, the cross was given a new meaning: salvation and life. His loving sacrifice gave value to our own suffering. If we follow Him and suffer out of love, it becomes a loving sacrifice. Indeed if we carry our crosses out of love, the yoke becomes easy, and the burden, light. If we think studying is a heavy cross, then bear it out of love for your parents, who are also sacrificing in order for you get a decent education.
Now the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the best opportunity for us to partake in His loving sacrifice. Once we receive Him in the Eucharist, we are united in Him, and we, ourselves, become part of the sacrifice. However, in order to make this a perfect sacrifice we have to be clean, much like an unblemished lamb. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is there to cleanse us of our sins. Remember this when you go to Mass later…*
Now, I need your help. I need to know if I said things correctly… Thanks in advance.
