Reflect on your life today. Sometimes we carry a heavy cross

The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made his request: "I want you to give me John the Baptist's head immediately on a tray." The king was deeply saddened, but because of his oaths and guests he did not want to break his word. So he promptly sent an executioner with orders to bring the head back. Matthew 6: 25-27

This sad story, of the beheading of John the Baptist, reveals a lot to us. Above all, it reveals the mystery of evil in our world and God's permissive will to allow evil to flourish at times.

Why did God allow St. John to be beheaded? He was a great man. Jesus himself said that there was no one born of a greater woman than John the Baptist. And, however, he allowed John to suffer this great injustice.

Saint Teresa of Avila once said to our Lord: "Dear Lord, if this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!" Yes, God has clearly allowed those He loves to suffer a lot throughout history. What does this tell us?

First of all, we must not forget the obvious fact that the Father allowed the Son to suffer greatly and to be murdered in a horrible way. Jesus' death was brutal and shocking. Does this mean that the Father did not love the Son? Certainly not. What does this mean?

The fact of the matter is that suffering is not a sign of God's disfavor. If you suffer and God does not give you relief, it is not because God has abandoned you. It's not that you don't love yourself. In fact, the opposite is most likely true.

The suffering of John the Baptist is, in fact, the greatest sermon he could have preached. It is a testament to his unwavering love for God and his sincere commitment to God's will. John's Passion Sermon is powerful because he chose to remain faithful to our Lord despite the persecution he endured. And, from God's point of view, John's faithfulness is infinitely more precious than his continuing physical life or the physical suffering he endured.

Reflect on your life today. Sometimes we carry a heavy cross and pray to our Lord to take it away from us. Instead, God tells us that his grace is sufficient and that he wishes to use our sufferings as a testimony of our fidelity. Hence, the Father's response to Jesus, his response to John and his response to us is a call to enter the mystery of our sufferings in this life with faith, hope, trust and fidelity. Never let life's hardships prevent you from being true to God's will.

Lord, may I have the strength of Your Son and the strength of St. John the Baptist as I carry my crosses in life. May I remain strong in faith and full of hope as I hear you call to embrace my cross. Jesus I believe in you.