“Four main things: Silence, patience, prayer and hope. Because the merit is in one´s suffering with regard to what he sees, the pains suffered unjustly (1Pet, 2, 19).” (Resolutions of the year 1859; en AEC p. 689).

A CAUSE TO SUFFER

Fleeing from suffering is instinctive one; we seek tranquilizers for any pain. What do we do in the face of unjust suffering? Sometimes we have searched the dead easy painkiller, “It may be God´s will”. Thus we can degrade the faith converting it into an opium of the people (K. Marx).

Today Claret provides us a guide for our behaviour before the unjust suffering. Will it help us? The archbishop in Santiago de Cuba, perceived a lot of suffering, but he didn´t withdrew himself in doing good; he created institutions aiming at alleviating pain. In his old age he himself was a victim of horrible persecutions. And he taught to suffer with:

Silence. Certainly we should not remain silent. We remain quiet folding our hands before the evil. But it is good to be in silence before acting. Only thus we shall avoid the wrong and revengeful reaction that would aggravate the situation. The silence helps us to contemplate not only on one´s own dignity but also about the dignity of the aggressor. Jesus only said, “if I have spoken wrongly, point it out; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me? (Jn 18:23).

Patience. Nothing takes place all on a sudden. And it is not easy to face everything. I will need serenity, clarity to act reasonably. And acting with wisdom and style…..

Prayer. All must be looked at with the eyes of God and from the overall plan. He does not want suffering, but if he desires, let it contribute for our good, if he really wants. When we see God in the sufferings and we act with the mind placed in Him.

Hope. The temptation of bitterness, hopelessness, resentment or sometimes the analgesics of the “evil” resignation or conformism lie in wait for us. The hope leads us to act differently by seeing –like St. Stephen- “the heavens opened” and final triumph of good.

What are my experiences regarding my own or that of others’ unjust sufferings? How do I react to them? Can “such situations dominate me or am I a master of them? What am I to learn? Lord, give me the grace of “a style of life” in defending the innocent.