EXALTATION OF THE CROSS

Reflections on: Number 21:4-9  / Philippians 2:6-11 /  John 3:13-17 

What will life be without PAIN and SUFFERING? 

by Frank Savadera, SJ

I’ve read recently about current experiments being done by neuroscientists at the Washington University who have identified genes that control affective pain.  If there are genes that contribute to our having diabetes, hypertension, and other sicknesses ... there is also this gene that makes us susceptible to pain, suffering and depression.   They even have a name for it -- Gene No. P311.  Apparently, the number of this particular gene in the body of an animal determines if an animal will exhibit feelings of pain and suffering.  Since they have already identified the gene, these scientists conclude that if we can only isolate and remove this gene from an animal’s body – then such an animal will be free from experiencing pain and suffering.  Thus far, they have successfully eliminated Gene No. P311 from the bodies of cows and mice.   On one hand, we say:  Ang galing ‘di ba?

What would life be for man ... without pain and suffering?  Off hand – I say --- what a boring life?  Efforts to eliminate pain and suffering ... by virtue of bio-engineering or our simple ESCAPE from them ...  may perhaps come because of our sheer misunderstanding of their importance in our lives.  Can pain and suffering have a purpose? 

Firstly, we may need to distinguish what pain is from suffering.  I don’t know of any normal person who wishes to go through pain.  But not all pain is suffering. What are examples of pain?  Our fingers being pricked by a needle.  Losing a loved one.  Pain associated with sickness.  Pain we associate with shame and embarrassment. Pain can be anything from physical, emotional, or even spiritual.   We can be in pain ... but we do not automatically think of this as suffering.

How then is suffering different from pain?  According to one author: suffering begins at the moment we ascribe meaning to the pain: for example, we say: this pain is a punishment; this pain is deserved; this pain is undeserved, this pain is the consequence of injustice ... of my own selfishness, and so on.   Clearly, we attach meaning to our pains and convert them into forms of suffering.  It appears therefore that to suffer is an option,  a decision  any person can take.  Suffering need not be based on REAL PAIN.    It is TRUE also however that we can suffer because of IMAGINED PAINS.   Another person may be a REAL PAIN in the ____, but we need not make ourselves SUFFER because of that person.

On the feast of the EXALTATION or TRIUMPH of the CROSS, we are asked to reflect on our notions of PAIN and SUFFERING.  We may wish to ask:  How can the CROSS – a symbol of both pain and suffering – been redefined for us as a source not only of consolation but more so our very salvation? Hmmm ... the CROSS ... not simply an image of pain but as well a source of consolation?

Our first reading from the Book of Numbers speaks to us of the people of God, hungry and starving in the dessert.  We hear them complaining to Moses:  "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water?  To make things worse,   the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them got sick.   Hunger can indeed be a source of physical pain.  Our stomachs growl and we get a head ache when we are hungry.  We can be hungry and be in physical pain.  But we need not suffer much like how the Israelites in the desert seemed to have suffered.  PRAY FOR THE GRACE OF COURAGE TO BE ABLE TO FACE OUR PAINS AND PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SUFFERING.

HOW DID JESUS HANDLE PAIN AND SUFFERING?  The mystery of the INCARNATION ... God becoming man ... shows us the way!  Jesus is the way!  How did he deal with pain and suffering?   From 2 Philippians:  “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,  coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”  WE ARE ASKED TO ALL THE MORE EMBRACE OUR PAINS ... EMPTY OURSELVES AND BE OBEDIENT TIL THE END.  AMIDST ALL OUR PAINS ... GOD CALLS US STILL TO BE FAITHFUL.

SENSE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR THE WORLD.  DO NOT FORGET THE MIGHTY WORKS OF THE LORD.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.