Lent Day 39: Suffering

I’m helping with a Prayer Journey to the Cross at church, which takes participants through the Stations of the Cross, Jesus’ final week on earth before his crucifixion. I’m responsible for two stations, The Betrayal and The Garden of Gethsemane. I partnered with an amazingly creative woman for the Garden Station. As soon as I knew that the focus was suffering, I had an idea for the station. I called my friend and asked her if she could put together a video loop of pictures of suffering and tie it to music. I picked the CD up from her today. I was blown away when I watched it. I had my daughter watch it. I could tell it made quite an impact on her.

I have known my share of disappointments. I’ve gone through some difficult times. I’ve grieved the loss of friends and family. Things have been tight financially, but we’ve never gone hungry or wondered where we’d sleep at night. I’ve never really suffered. Not like the people in those pictures. We lost our home when the restaurants failed and I lost my livelihood. We had two auctions and sold the lion’s share of our belongings, but always had a place to live and way more stuff than we can use.

Suffering. I have sat here and run through my life in my mind. I often say that I am blessed. I really believe I am. Life is not without its struggles. Legal issues will stay with me until I die. Judgment and prejudice will leave their mark on where I live and the kind of work I can and cannot do. But I am married to an amazing man who blesses me every day. I have two daughter and three grandchildren who bring me immeasurable joy. I have the best friends in the world. My mom is just the best there is.

I have health, education, and work I enjoy.
At each of the stations there will be some item that the participants will take away with them. When they are in the Garden they will receive a hand (a construction paper cutout). They will be invited to write the name of a person or group who is suffering on the hand and then ask God how they can be his hands to that person.

I know you don’t have the video. I know you can’t hear the music. But you can hear His voice. Whose suffering can you ease today? Will you let him write that name on your hands and in your heart?