Good Friday - Our Lord's suffering
Well, it's Good Friday and normally I would do it as Easter-themed week of devotions. But of course, I wanted to keep you up to date with my whole thing because you're all praying for me and so on. And so I want to tell you about somebody I met in the hospital and how it relates to Good Friday.
Meeting Sister Maureen
Well, when I was in the high care, I heard the patient in the bed next to me tell the nurses that she was Sister Maureen from the church. So I thought, OK, this is a nun. At the time I couldn't get out of bed by myself, but a few days later I found Sister Maureen in the general ward and went and spent some time praying with her. She's from the St. Dominic's Convent here in Boksburg. And again, if any of you know her, please send her this message.
I sat and prayed with Sister Maureen and our conversation was interesting because she was saying she's in such pain and she's trying hard not to complain and to moan because think of what our Lord went through.
Jesus' Silent Suffering
It's what she said to me. She said, I marvel at our Lord, who suffered so greatly, didn't complain. He just went to His death silently because that's what God had called Him to do. And she said, oh, how weak I am that I struggle with this complaining and moaning about my situation!
Then we spoke about how Jesus even needed a bit of help. Remember how Simon of Cyrene came and carried His cross for Him for a little while? We spoke about how, even though her and I were suffering in a sense, in a hospital, we had all these wonderful staff around us, and they were like our Simons helping us carry our cross. We just shared such a lovely moment reflecting on that there in the hospital.
Reflecting on Good Friday
So it's Good Friday. Consider the sacrifice Jesus made. You and I suffer in various ways, but no suffering is like what the Son of God went through, with the weight of the world on His shoulders, the weight of our sin bearing Him down, cursed as He hung up on a tree for us. But He did it. He suffered silently and went to His death with grace.
Whatever suffering you're going through, friends, thank God that you have Simons around you who can help you carry your cross.
And then remember and give thanks for the One who suffered more than we can ever imagine on the cross. What a wonder to be His.
