A Noble Attitude Toward Suffering

“To suffer in peace, it is enough to will all that Jesus wills.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux

The Church celebrates several feasts of the Holy Cross each year, one of which is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. On this feast, we commemorate the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice brought us hope and the promise of eternal life. His suffering was the perfect offering to the Heavenly Father, teaching us to accept our own trials with a noble and holy attitude. Reflecting on His Cross and pondering the motto “Through the Cross to the Light” strengthens me to embrace my daily cross—and I hope it strengthens you as well.

Suffering is a universal reality. No one escapes it. From birth to the grave, suffering touches every life. Dom Columba Marmion, a Benedictine abbot and spiritual writer, known for works like Christ the Life of the Soul and Christ in His Mysteries describes suffering as “the golden key to perfection and union with Christ, and the seed of eternal glory.” In other words, suffering unlocks spiritual growth and is a means to sanctity. Similarly, Bishop Lambert de La Motte, founder of the Lovers of the Holy Cross, reminded his spiritual daughters that “those who deny the cross, deny their means to heaven.” In his first pastoral letter of 1664, he wrote: “If any Christian complains about his crosses, I think that person denies the surest means which God gives him to obtain eternal happiness.”  (Bts II 1-4) These words invite us to see suffering not as meaningless pain, but as a path toward holiness. The motto “Through the Cross to the Light” continues to inspire me to imitate Christ with noble, holy attitudes in the face of life’s trials.

We all experience suffering in various forms—physical pain, emotional wounds, psychological struggles, difficult relationships, or unexpected losses. Each of us carries scars. When suffering enters our lives, our attitude becomes the turning point. As Jesus said:“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

We can respond in three ways: reject suffering, grudgingly endure it, or consecrate it to Christ as a gift of love. Rejection often leads to bitterness, despair, and hopelessness, like the voice of one of the criminals hanging there who  reviled Jesus: “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39). But when we accept our trials as a means of purification, our suffering becomes noble and holy—like the good thief, who prayed humbly: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). This acceptance can lead to peace and contentment, nurturing our spiritual growth.

As human beings, it is understandable to want to eliminate pain and maximize pleasure. Even the saints desired relief. St. Paul pleaded with God to remove the “thorn in his flesh,” but the Lord answered: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:7–9). Paul discovered the secret of a noble attitude toward suffering, rejoicing: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His Church” (Colossians 1:24). He knew that suffering embraced in love becomes a path to glory.

At times, our trials feel like an endless ocean. We feel abandoned, unheard, and exhausted—like a lone swimmer battling relentless waves. In those moments, we must cling to Jesus as our lifeline. Looking at Him on the Cross, we find the perfect model of noble, holy suffering. He prayed:“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus drank His cup to the last drop in loving obedience to the Father, showing us how to transform our own pain into an offering of love.

Holy souls accept their suffering as a “gift of love,” uniting it to Jesus and offering it as an evening oblation to the Father. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, but we can cooperate by desiring to love, imitate, and please God in our trials. With perseverance and prayer, our crosses are transformed from heavy burdens into treasures for spiritual growth. Like gold purified in fire, our souls are refined through suffering, drawing us closer to Christ.

Holding fast to the motto “Through the Cross to the Light” allows us to glimpse the hope beyond suffering. God never allows a cross heavier than we can carry with His grace. The more we embrace a noble, holy attitude, the more we please Him and receive His strength. United with the Church, a pilgrim journeying in hope, we entrust our lives to the Father like a little child in its mother’s arms. Then, even our crosses can bring deep interior joy and peace.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, You are the most perfect and holy, yet You endured the most painful suffering and death. Today we offer You our own sufferings and daily crosses. Sanctify them through the Holy Spirit and make them a gift of love to the Father. Give us the grace and courage to imitate Your noble, holy attitude and to accept all things according to Your will. We ask this in Your holy Name. Amen.