A Treasure To Be Shared

Caravaggio The Raising of Lazarus Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is a legal practice in Canada that allows physicians or nurse practitioners to end a patient’s life at that patient’s request. Supporters often describe it as a compassionate response to suffering. Yet within the Christian tradition, MAiD raises profound questions about the meaning of suffering, the dignity of the human person, and the nature of authentic compassion. This reflection considers those concerns in light of the Christian understanding of suffering, hope, and the presence of Christ. Suffering confronts every human life, and in moments of fear or loneliness, people can be tempted by voices that promise escape rather than accompaniment. The Christian tradition insists that real compassion never abandons the suffering person, never treats despair as mercy, and never replaces hope with resignation. Instead, it invites us to see suffering through the lens of Christ, who enters it with us and transforms it from...

Early Christian writers such as St. Justin Martyr and later medieval theologians like St. Bernard of Clairvaux emphasized the pierced side of Christ as the fountain of grace for the Church. Their reflections helped shape the understanding of Christ’s Heart as the wellspring of divine mercy. newmanrosaryguild.blogspot.com/2021/05/walsingham-chaplet-of-five-wounds.html By the eleventh century, Christians were reflecting more deeply on the Five Wounds of Christ, and personal devotions to His Heart began to grow. This devotion gained momentum in the seventeenth century through the visions of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in France. From 1673 to 1675, Jesus revealed His Heart to her as a sign of His limitless love and called for renewed devotion focused on reparation, consecration, and frequent reception of the Eucharist—especially on First Fridays. These revelations inspired the creation of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, first celebrated by St. Jean Eudes in 1670 and later o...

Heavenly Father, God of truth and mercy, thou knowest the thoughts of all and knowest our necessities; in Thy boundless love, grant unto those souls wrestling with the late tidings within the Anglican Communion that their hearts and minds be drawn towards accord in Thy sacred truth; bestow upon them the graces requisite to pursue Thy divine intent, and upon us, who labour for concord 'mongst all professing disciples of Thy Son, grant us the means to find and bid welcome to all who seek assurance and fellowship in the truth, and divine consolation in the unchanging doctrine handed on by the Apostles; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Spes, Esperanza, Espoir, Speranza, Mieć nadzieję, Ελπίδα, Pag-asa, Надеяться, 希望, आशा, Tumaini The person who experiences consolation never gives up in the face of difficulties because he or she always experiences a peace that is stronger than any trial. | Pope Francis We cannot come to a conclusion about the state of our soul from its suffering or its rejoicing…Consolation indicates, certainly, that the soul has taken a step in the spiritual life, but desolation may be a sign that it is even nearer to the summit. | Jennie Ewing,  The Four Consolations of the Holy Spirit Hope is a lush garden wherein peace resides. Without the nurturing water of God's grace, the edges grow rigid and turn into a wall, casting shadows. The heart risks becoming hardened and lifeless, leaving one paralyzed and lost as negativity creeps in. Weeds of irrationality take over, choking the flowers. In a recent article, Jenny Ewing at Catholic Exchange (2SEPT2020) provides a brief but beautifu...