Holy Martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia (305-13).
Colossians 1:24-29. Luke 9:7-11.
Read Colossians 1:24-29
At the start of today’s reading from St. Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, he writes: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake” (Col. 1:24). How often do we think to “rejoice” in our sufferings?
Elsewhere, Paul tells the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7). Paul explains that we should always rejoice in the Lord, and in today’s reading he tells the Colossians that he is rejoicing in his own sufferings for their sake. Paul can rejoice because he bears his sufferings for Christ and for the spreading of the gospel.
Christ and the Church, His Body, are so deeply united, even in sufferings. Recall when Paul (formerly known as Saul) was on the road to Damascus: “suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him. And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 9:3-5). Jesus did not ask Saul why he was persecuting His followers; rather, Jesus asked why He was being persecuted by Saul. The sufferings that we members of the Church experience are so tied into Christ’s own sufferings that He does not distinguish persecution against the Church from persecution against Himself.
Suffering is a mystery. Christ willingly accepted suffering, the cross, and death for our salvation. Through our suffering, we can show much love. By suffering for the sake of the Colossians, Paul was able to show his fatherly love towards them. Can we learn to embrace our sufferings as we bear them for others? Let us be a “joyful” people and rejoice always, always coming to God with thanksgiving.