There are some people who suffer for their faith, and the Holy Father reminded all, very recently, to support these people. On December 26th, 2009, the Holy Father said, "The One lying in the manger is the Son of God made man, Who asks us to bear courageous witness to His Gospel, like St. Stephen who, filled with the Holy Spirit, did not hesitate to give his life for love of his Lord. He, like his Master, died forgiving his persecutors and helps us understand how the entry of the Son of God into the world gave rise to a new civilisation, the civilisation of love which does not cave in before evil and violence but breaks down barriers between men, making them brothers in the great family of the children of God". St. Stephen "also reminds of us the many believers who, in various parts of the world, undergo trials and suffering for their faith", the Pope called upon people to "support these people with prayer and never to fail in our own Christian vocation, always placing at the centre of our lives Jesus Christ, Who in these days we contemplate in the simplicity and humility of the manger".

Suffering for the Faith could, of course, be suffering which we consciously give for the intention of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Many people have forgotten that Purgatory is a place of purification. Some souls are not sufficiently free from sin and its consequences to enter the state of Heaven immediately, nor are they so sinful as to be destined for Hell either. Such souls, ultimately destined to be united with God in Heaven, must first endure Purgatory—a state of purification. In Purgatory, souls "achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of Heaven."

There are other intentions that can be considered when offering suffering... such as reparation for sins committed by oneself or by others. Since prayer is a Grace, the intentioning of prayer can be left to the Holy Spirit. When I'm at a loss for someone to pray for (usually because I cannot always remember names on the spot), I offer my prayers and/or suffering for "all I have promised to pray for." God knows what we had in mind when we first had the thought of intention to pray for this or that person. And, as my priest-friends tell me, the act of intentioning prayer is already a prayer for that intention. One can always pray for the soul who needs prayer the most, that minute, that hour, that day.

Suffering is OK, but suffering for the sake of other people, to bring them closer to Our Lord, to get them to recognize God's personal love for each of us, that's even better. If I have to suffer, let it be useful suffering offered for another person.

Be kind to others. It isn't always necessary to tell others about your kindness.

Fred Schaeffer, SFO
January 2, 2010