Oct. 20: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The question of suffering

Is 53:10-11; Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; Heb 4:14-16; Mk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

The reading from Isaiah today is one that is well known to all Christians. It is part of a collection of poems peppered through the latter half the book of Isaiah. These texts are often referred to as the “Suffering Servant Songs.”

Most Christians read these texts as prophesying Jesus’ suffering and Passion for the atonement of the world’s sins. This is how the early church read these poems, possibly because it helped them to better understand or explain the purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

However, in the time in which these texts were compiled, the events of Jesus’ life had not yet come to pass. How might this have been understood before the coming of Jesus? How can that earlier understanding speak to us now?

There is no explicit statement in the book of Isaiah explaining who this suffering servant is. Different suggestions have been offered over the years, such as the prophet Jeremiah; Zerubbabel, a man appointed governor of Judea by King Cyrus of Persia; and even Moses.

Another suggestion is that it refers not to an individual person but to the nation of Israel itself. This seems to be the most likely option. The prophet Isaiah suggests that Israel has not been exiled by God as a form of punishment, but so that they can be a light to the nations (42:6) and bring justice (42:1), healing and freedom (42:7) to the world.

This is a difficult concept to make sense of. Suffering is not something we should accept for ourselves or for anyone else. We are meant to care for each other and to ease each other’s suffering. So, how can we ever say that one’s suffering can bring light into the world?

To help gain a different perspective on this question, let’s turn to today’s reading from the letter to the Hebrews. We hear that Jesus was “tested in every way” during his life (4:15). Because of this, Jesus can fully understand the challenges humans go through because he, too, experienced the same struggles. Christ had an abundance of love and compassion for us because of his experiences (4:16).

While the author of Hebrews has the theme of sin on his mind, we can apply this more broadly to understand that Jesus’ suffering allows him to meet us in ours and truly understand us. This is the light that one’s suffering can bring to the world.

From our own suffering, we can grow in empathy and compassion. When I was a doctoral student, family and friends tried their best to offer me support when I felt like giving up. This helped me feel less alone.

Yet, I discovered that only my fellow doctoral students could fully comfort me and give me hope. Now that I have friends going through the same process, I can be that person for them. The challenges I faced in my time as a doctoral student help me to meet them in their difficulties now.

It is important to clarify that nothing can justify suffering, especially if it is due to abuse or injustice. Nothing can erase one’s suffering. However, being able to help another person from a place of deep understanding brings light on multiple levels.

The first level is that of the person who is currently suffering. To offer compassion and empathy to someone in need can change the course of that person’s life. Being able to help someone can provide healing to the caretaker, as well. This is especially true if one can offer the help that they themselves did not receive when they most needed it. Lastly, it can be a teaching moment for any witnesses who are still learning how to show compassion and empathy.

The question of suffering in the world is one of the most difficult to understand and address. I do not know if there is a correct answer. All I can offer is what I have learned in my short time on this earth. And that is this: By allowing our suffering to teach us how to love better, we can be a light to others when they cannot see through the dark.