Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

There is a common expression still used today which can be traced to ancient Roman times. The phrase is simply this: “Misery loves company!” Without venturing into the “why” of the statement, perhaps it’s helpful to focus on the “how” of its function.

Today’s Scripture readings give us a context in which to examine group and individual suffering. The Prophet Micah is describing a social picture of his day with its widespread corruption, suffering, and personal misery. In many ways this matches our own current world experience. Through social media, no one can avoid being aware of the suffering of others. The more we are aware of the extreme suffering of others, the more our own suffering seems to be less severe.

The critical point when confronting suffering, whether that of others or our own, is how we approach it most responsibly. We could rely on our first response, which is sorrow and feeling compassion, a word that carries the root meaning of “to suffer with someone.” But for all our good intentions, we eventually meet physical and emotional limits. As people in union with Christ through our baptism, we can do more. With compassionate hearts, especially at the Eucharist, we can choose to hand over the overwhelming dimensions of suffering around us into the healing love of Jesus. Suffering must touch the heart if it is truly shared.

Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB