Episode 2731: Suffering with Christ - Morning Episode

Catholic Reboot Facebook site coordinates:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/catholicreboot
Time is getting close to “Word Made Flesh” I’ll put the registration link in the show notes.
https://forms.gle/tuzqrhTXTZQuf7VH9
If you can’t make it in person you can join via zoom. Please attend. I promise it will help you focus during the Advent season and make Christ the reason for the Season.

Episode 144: Our Lady of Good Success, Fatima and Akita

Suffering with Christ: The Path to Eternal Glory
Today’s episode, where we reflect on the profound relationship between suffering, sacrifice, and the eternal glory promised to us through Christ. Guided by the wisdom of St. Clare of Assisi, Fr. John Burns, and the comforting words of our Savior in Matthew’s Gospel, we will explore how embracing suffering and self-denial leads us to the joy of God’s eternal kingdom.

Segment 1: Suffering with Christ
St. Clare of Assisi beautifully reminds us:
"If you suffer with Him, you will reign with Him. If you cry with Him, you will have joy with Him. If you die with Him on the cross of tribulation, you will possess the eternal dwelling place in the splendor of the saints. And your name, written in the book of life, will be glorious among men."
Suffering is not meaningless for the Christian; rather, it is a sacred participation in Christ’s own Passion. The Cross of tribulation becomes a ladder to heaven, where we are united with the saints in eternal glory. St. Clare’s words echo St. Paul in 2 Timothy 2:12:
“If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”
By accepting our crosses with faith and love, we imitate Christ, who transformed the shame of the Cross into the triumph of salvation.
Segment 2: The Spirit of Sacrifice
Fr. John Burns highlights the importance of mortification, especially on Fridays, a day traditionally dedicated to penance:
"Throughout the year, Friday is meant to be a day of penance and self-denial. We make sacrifices on Fridays to recall Christ's great sacrifice on Good Friday. In part, our sacrifices discipline and test our attachment to created goods. When we deny ourselves little comforts, our suffering sheds light on the many ways we cling too tightly to the offerings of this world. Mortification leads to self-mastery, a process that purifies our ability to lift our eyes from passing goods and set them instead upon the everlasting good that is God Almighty."
Sacrifices made with humility and love draw us closer to Christ and free us from worldly attachments. As we practice self-denial, we learn to set our hearts on eternal treasures rather than fleeting pleasures. This aligns with Christ’s exhortation in Matthew 6:19-21:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
Fridays remind us to reflect on the Passion of Christ and unite our sacrifices to His for the salvation of souls.

Segment 3: The Yoke of Christ
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus extends a tender invitation:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Christ’s yoke, though seemingly heavy, is made light by His grace. In our trials, we find solace knowing that He walks beside us. He transforms our burdens into opportunities for deeper union with Him. The rest He offers is not merely physical but spiritual an abiding peace that the world cannot give.
Conclusion:
As St. Clare of Assisi teaches, suffering with Christ is the gateway to reigning with Him. Fr. Burns reminds us that acts of penance purify our hearts and detach us from the transient, drawing us toward the eternal. And in Matthew’s Gospel, Christ Himself assures us of His gentle companionship through every trial.
By embracing the crosses of daily life with faith, humility, and love, we not only grow in holiness but also become witnesses of the eternal joy that awaits us in heaven.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of Your Son, who bore the Cross for our salvation. Grant us the grace to embrace our own crosses with courage and trust, uniting our sufferings with His. Teach us to deny ourselves so that we may cling more fully to You, our eternal treasure.
Blessed Mother, comforter of the afflicted, pray for us as we journey through trials. St. Clare of Assisi and all the saints, intercede for us that we may persevere in faith and rejoice in the glory of heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you for joining us in today’s episode. Until next time, may you walk with courage, guided by the light of Christ.