Suffering

During holidays and major events, I think it only natural to reflect on my own life and the many blessings bestowed upon me.  Long story shorter, a local man and his college-aged daughter died in a plane crash at a little airport just south of my home on Thursday.  The outcome could have been so much worse; however, two lives were lost.  They were active and highly respected parishioners at the church we attend, on the board at the local Catholic high school, on the volleyball team at the local college, volunteer(s) for Dayton Right to Life--the litany of kudos go on and on.  It also made me reflect upon a co-worker who will be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord for the second year without a son she lost in a freak accident.

How can these families go on?  How can they deal with the unimaginable?  Then I think of our mother Mary.  What agony and sorrow she must have felt watching her sinless son suffer.  She had complete and total faith and submissiveness to God.  Sorrow is normal.  Losing hope would be unforgivable.  Lord, I hope when and if I am ever tested, I will be reminded of the example of Mary.  May both of these families maintain their faith through very trying times.