Readings: Exodus 1:8-14,22; Psalm 124; Matthew 10:34-11:1.
The first reading narrates the beginning of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt. There came a Pharaoh who didn’t know Joseph nor cared to do so, he felt threatened by the growing number of the Israelites and decided to make their lives miserable.
The ancient Egyptians were known for their proud sense of racial superiority towards all other people. It isn’t surprising to see them discriminating against this strong minority group in their midst.
However, the Bible reports something very powerful, we are told that the more the Israelites were crushed, the more they increased and spread.
Let us stop and ponder on this. This growth in the face of affliction has constantly been the story of God’s people throughout all ages. This suffering did not make sense to the people of Israel but God was using it for His purpose. Egypt was like a womb that nurtured them into a nation and when it was God’s time, He worked through the wickedness of the Egyptians to fulfill His plans of bringing them to the land of promise.
This reminds us that suffering and afflictions, the malice and wickedness of people can be used by God to fulfill His purpose. Again, with the right understanding and attitude, suffering can become for us an opportunity for spiritual growth, purification, renewal, faith, an opportunity of self-discovery, an invitation to become closer to the Lord, an opportunity to work for our salvation. This is what we call the redemptive value of suffering.
St Paul tells us in Romans 5:3-5 and Colossians 1:24 that he rejoices in suffering. No one can rejoice in suffering except we understand the positive value and the redemptive place of suffering in our Christian life.
In the Gospel, Jesus says anyone who doesn’t take His cross and follow in His footsteps is not worthy of Him, I bet you, the cross is not a dessert, it is not what you carry giggling.
Although every analogy leaps, but then I like to compare our life crosses to the dumbbell, weight or kettle bell that one carries at the gym, they are heavy, one grimaces to carry them, but they help to build our spiritual stamina and muscle. The crosses that we are also called to carry, may not be fun but they have a place in God’s plan for us, they are good for our spiritual health and well being, they also help us to build our spiritual strength and stamina and to burn away the calories of self-love in us.
We pray today that the Lord will help us to understand the redemptive value of sufferings and teach us the right attitude necessary to make our sufferings and crosses spiritually fruitful, Amen.
Sermon preached by Rev.Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on July 12, 2021