“When Mary went to present Jesus to God in the temple, it was an occasion she was looking forward to with joy. She was presenting her beloved son, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world to His Father. She was delighted that Simeon recognised who Jesus was but was devastated when Simeon said that a sword would pierce her heart. Mary, filled with the grace of God, holding her precious son close to her heart, trusting in God’s goodness and faithfulness knew that God would uphold her when the time comes.
All of us will experience some sort of suffering eventually. Some of us have already suffered enormously, have experienced pain physically or mentally and know what it was like to have a sword piercing one’s heart. Every day you hear tragic news of people losing their loved ones in tragic accidents, of people loosing their homes, dying from incurable diseases, being tortured and killed for their faith, being abused or abandoned.
My mother told me when I was seven that she was leaving my father and that I had to choose whether I would go with her or stay with my father. I had to leave the only home I knew, my father and the grandmother I loved, to be with my mother. When my mother decided to marry someone who did not like children, I had to live with another family. My father married again and had a family of his own. Although I was well looked after and was given a good education, I missed my parents. I was suffering. My mother suffered because her husband was unfaithful. My father suffered because of his weakness.
I was brought up as a Christian and was taught to pray. It helped. God is always there by our sides, patiently waiting for us to let Him comfort and assure us that our reward is in the next life if we believe and trust in Him. Who knows better than Jesus and Mary about suffering. Jesus had to endure all forms of suffering one could imagine. He did it for our sins, for the love of us, to save us from destruction, from eternal sufferings so that we may enjoy the glory of heaven when the battle of life is over. All we have to do is to listen to him, repent and follow him and He will give us the strength to overcome our trials in this life. As St Paul said, our trials and sufferings in this world are nothing as compared with the glory we will enjoy one day in Heaven. Our Lord said, ‘Do not fear. I am with you’. He also said, ‘In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have overcome the world.’
Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and He called us to follow Him. His Way is not an easy way, it is about sacrifice, about dying to oneself, about forgiving and loving those who hurt you, blessing those who mock you, always doing what is best for the other person, giving and not expecting anything back. His ways are not the ways of the world but His way is the way to a peaceful and joyful life here on earth and in Heaven. After years of feeling self pity, sadness, bitterness and disappointment, and having tried all sorts of self-help therapies, yoga, meditations, I decided to listen to God.
My life began to change once I decided to listen to God and let Him lead me. He led me to places that I never thought of ever going. He led me to the Catholic Church, His Church, His Presence. He led me to Tyburn Convent where His Sacred Heart in the Holy Eucharist is continuously adored. He introduced me to the rule of St Benedict to assist me in my daily living. On April the 18th, 2015 I became a novice oblate. I have never felt such joy. The joy of knowing God’s love and what He has done for me, the least I can do is to offer my entire self to Him and trust in Him as Mary did.”
Sr. Joanna (June Herridge)
Oblate of Tyburn
