To the Presence of the Daughter of Sufferings

(The occasion for this article by Fr. Sebastian Kollamparambil was the Cherupushpa Mission League pilgrimage to Bharananganam on 23rd July, 2006).

There has been a steady stream of pilgrims to the tomb of Blessed Alphonsa eversince her death. It indicates that more and more people have come to know the spiritual greatness of Blessed Alphonsa, who remained an obscure figure throughout her life.
The transformation of Alphonsa from the village girl that she was at Kudamalloor into the saint that god-willing, she would soon become, should certainly engage our attention.
The more we respect Blessed Alphonsa, the more convinced we grow about the salvific value of suffering. The way she faced suffering is an example for the entire Christian World. Most of us look at suffering as an unwelcome cross, which should be avoided at all costs. But Alphonsa thirsted for suffering and actually prayed for more opportunities of suffering and afflictions. This was the result of her desire to be like her Divine Lord; bearing the crosses that came to her life was her way of suffering the equivalent of crucifixion. Sufferings come to our life, mostly uninvited, but Alphonsa accepted them as valued gifts, for it was her conviction that they served a salvific purpose.
St. Paul has said: “I have been crucified along with Christ; hereafter it is Christ, not I, that lives in me”. Alphonsa’s life is an illustration of these words. When she embraced the monastic way of life, she knew that she was embracing suffering as well. Her loving Lord saw to it that the cup of her suffering was constantly running over. Often her suffering was in excess of her ability to suffer. There were moments when suffering brought her face to face with Death. She accepted all her suffering for her own sanctification and for the sanctification of the world in general. Apart from physical pain she had to suffer the hostility of these who could not understand her fully and so thought she was a fraud. But she turned these crowns of thorn into crowns of gold. The sufferings she underwent on earth won her great merit in heaven.
The present day world tries to keep suffering away at all costs. Many of us cannot accept with equanimity the pains and pressures of life, the frustrations and the failures which are part and parcel of everyday life. Everywhere we see the ratrace to secure physical comfort and to amass wealth. We behave as if there are only ourselves in this world. Some people are so worldly that in their single-minded pursuit of money they forget all filial obligations. Our dread of suffering is such that we prefer euthanasia to a life of suffering. The same philosophy of life prevails with us to prefer suicide to the frustration or failure.
It is here that we see the relevance of Blessed Alphonsa’s attitude to suffering. Suffering becomes endurable when we accept it in the same spirit as Blessed Alphonsa did. Nothing happens without the knowledge of God and suffering is the means by which God cleanses us and the world at large. St. Ephrem’s words point to this: “The Lord invites you to the cup of suffering but he tastes it first.” l l