GOSPEL

From the Gospel according to Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,he saw the city and wept over it, saying,“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Self-Pity vs. Eucharist

Suffering comes in two forms, and they stand in contrast to one another. One arises from self-centeredness, while the other is born of charitable love. Naturally, I tend to focus on the pain caused by those who offend, dismiss, or undervalue me. However, this is not the supernatural suffering of Christ’s Cross; instead, it is a self-focused sorrow that suffocates the soul and hardens the heart. In contrast, the pain born of charity stems from love for others, especially those in need of salvation. This kind of suffering is co-redemptive. 

Another form of suffering involves self-pity, which arises from the inability to accept my own miseries. On the other hand, there is a sorrow born out of love for others—a selfless pain rooted in regret over not sharing with others the love I have received. The first reflects the despair of Judas Iscariot, while the second reflects the repentance of Peter (Cephas). 

Christ’s pain is rooted in His sorrow for what others lose by rejecting Him and the Kingdom of God. This sorrow, born out of love, does not lead to reproach or condemnation. Instead, it leads to the ultimate gift of love—the Eucharist: a selfless sacrifice for the salvation of sinners who act out of ignorance. Let us follow this example and live in His memory.

Applied to Married Life:

Valentina: (During marital prayer) Lord, I ask for Your forgiveness, for I’ve spent too much time wallowing in self-pity, seeing myself as a victim of the hurt caused by my husband, Joe. I have failed to embrace suffering as an act of love for him—a suffering that is co-redemptive because, through it, I join myself to You and take part in Your redemptive work. 

Joe:Lord, I thank You for the precious gift of Valentina. Forgive me, and help her forgive me, for I’ve been so consumed with rejecting my weakness and rebelling against them that I’ve failed to give her the love You entrusted to me to share in Your name. 

Valentina: Lord, as I look at my husband now, I see his beauty and find myself deeply moved by his efforts to confront his struggles. I’ve decided to dedicate my life to giving myself for him—not lamenting my own pain anymore, but offering myself for his salvation. 

Joe: Lord, You’ve opened my eyes to Valentina’s worth. I’ve resolved to dedicate my life to her sanctification, helping her to come closer to You. I will humble myself and become a foundation on which she can lean as she journeys toward You.

Mother,

Help us live Christ’s example of suffering for love—a pain that becomes a pleasing offering to God. Through Christ, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
all glory is Yours, Almighty Father.