Suffering is something we do not like to take upon ourselves. It is not only painful but also fearful. When Jesus spoke of the crucifixion, Peter was appalled because it brought fear and was undesirable. We hear in the first reading that Jeremiah feared the wrath of the people because he was called to deliver God’s message of suffering to them to save them from going astray. He reached a point where he found difficult to reconcile God’s grace with his own suffering, as he says, “I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it” (Jer 20:9).
Is it not true that God wants to give us manna, the best food of heaven, yet we long for the garlic and onions of Egypt like the Israelites in the desert? As Saint John of the Cross tells us, God’s grace is at times experienced as manna, tasteless to our palate, because we prefer the taste of the sensual body. This experience is perceived as suffering that detaches us from inordinate attachments.
Perhaps, if we were to lovingly accept our crosses by savoring and making the effort to acquire the taste of manna, we would experience an abundance of grace. We pray for His grace to accept the manna with, “a peaceful loving attentiveness towards God.”
Rev. George Meze, SJ
I am Fr. Vilezo George Meze SJ, originally from India. I am doing my EdD studies and serve as a spiritual director with Campus Ministry. Before coming to the U.S., I spent a decade working in school administration among Indigenous communities in Northeast India.
