February 2025 Letter

Dear brethren,
The First Epistle of St. Peter explains in various verses the practical approach to suffering in Christianity. Although it is difficult to remove the verses from their context in the letter, we will try to highlight some of the verses that explain the concept of suffering, in order to extract from them meanings that will benefit us in our spiritual life:
 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1Pet 2: 21). It is as if he were saying to them: Christians, you have been called to imitate Christ, so endure, suffer, and be longsuffering, not focused on enjoying the present world, rather keeping your eyes on the image of Christ who endured suffering and offered love instead of offense.
 “not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1Pet 3: 9). When we walk in the way of the Lord, Satan stirs up people who curse and plot evil against us. The words of the apostle mean that their insults will not harm us and will not hinder blessings from us, because we are called to inherit the blessings.
 “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed” (1Pet 3: 14). God allows some sufferings to purify us, for our benefit and blessing. So, this pain is not for harm but for benefit.
 “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1Pet 3: 17). The apostle invites us to have a pure life, so that if we must endure the suffering of persecution not because of the sins we have committed, but for the name of Christ, we will thus follow the path of Christ’s sufferings. But suffering for a sin we committed is not the communion of the cross, for Christ had no sin.
 “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind” (1Pet 4: 1). The Apostle delivers the Passions of Christ as a weapon with which we fight and overcome, thus whenever we meditate on the Passion of Christ, we obtain from it the strength to triumph in our spiritual struggle.
 “for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1Pet 4: 1). Whoever puts in his heart that he died with Christ and crucified his passions with his desires, although his body is alive, his desires have no power over him. God allows us some pains in the flesh in order that we hate the world and its sins; thus suffering becomes a spiritual remedy given by God.
 “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1Pet 4: 19). It is God who allows our sufferings in order that we may be purified. For example, it is God who allowed Satan to test Job to purify him. We are not in the hands of man, but in the hands of God and what He allows is for our good.
 “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1Pet 5: 10). It is as if the apostle is saying that the call to eternal glory must go through the path of suffering, and whoever wants glory must suffer first. But these present sufferings are simple, and light compared to the glory prepared for us.
May the blessings of St. Mary, St. Peter and St. Mercurius be with us all. Amen.
Belleville, February 1, 2025

رسالة شهر فبراير ٢٠٢٥