First Friday September 2, 2022 

Guards of Honor 1st Friday / September 2022 Fr. David Bellusci, OP 

St. Margaret Mary: the value of suffering

How do we deal with suffering? It’s one of the most common themes with mystics – by God’s grace the transformation of suffering into sanctity. But we have a natural aversion to suffering and that is understandable as God created us to be happy. Yet, we cannot deny the reality of suffering in our lives that comes our way whether its health, persecution, or loss of loved ones. What do we do? What does St. Margaret Mary Alacoque teach us? In her Letter to Mother Sumaise written in 1682, in the midst of her suffering, St. Margaret Mary “thirsts for more suffering.” Her greatest suffering is being separated from her Lord by this world. Everything else, St. Margaret Mary says, is “nothing” and often simply contaminates the “pure love.” Why is that? Because whatever causes separation from the Lord is a form of contamination; the soul is separated from its beloved. We can see at the end that for St. Margaret Mary the greatest suffering is the yearning to be entirely given to Jesus, her Lord, in this “pure love.” And this is where true happiness is to be found: in the pure love of being one with our Lord.

Lord, let our suffering be an offering of Love.

Prayer to Renew Our Fidelity and Devotion 

Divine Jesus, my Savior and my King, with all my heart I  renew the promise which I have made to love, to glorify and  to console Your adorable Heart as a member of the Guard  of Honor. Grant O good Master, to make me daily more  loving, more devoted and more faithful. I ask this same  grace for all the Associates through the most sweet Heart of  Your Mother. AMEN