June 4, Friday Weekday

O Lord, great peace have they who love your law. — Psalm 119:165

Mass Readings: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 / Mark 12:35-37  

Suffer Now, Enjoy Later

My doctor laughed at my biggest complaint after I had coughed my way through a bout with pneumonia: the prescribed medicine left a horrible taste in my mouth that ruined meals. “Would you rather put up with this inconvenience for a short time and live to a ripe, old age,” he asked, “or do you want a plate of delicious food as your last meal right now?” Fortunately, I followed the wise physician’s orders.  

St. Paul says, “All who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Imagine: those of us who love Jesus must suffer. That’s a bitter pill to swallow! But when friends desert us, neighbors ignore us and our own relatives hurt us, our real comfort comes in knowing that eventually, our short-lived suffering will be replaced by everlasting joy in heaven.

Prayer: Lord, help me to accept today’s sufferings so I may share in eternal joy later.