Suffering in Our Daily Lives

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, July 20th, 2025:
​Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

---

Colossians
​1.24-28

Brothers and sisters: I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.

I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints.

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is Christ whom we proclaim, warning every person and teaching every person in all wisdom, so that we may present every person mature in Christ.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

As a Christ-centred woman living in a fast-paced, often chaotic world, I find it difficult to embrace suffering with joy – and so the Second Reading challenged me deeply. Saint Paul not only accepts his sufferings, he rejoices in them. He sees his trials not as meaningless burdens but as a participation in redemptive work for the Church. So, I have to ask myself, “How can I embrace this outlook, when it’s so easy to get stuck in the suffering?”
​
Suffering has been defined as the state of undergoing pain, distress or hardship. While this rings true, and I know many of us have endured acute suffering, it’s also true that suffering comes in less dramatic forms. Sometimes, suffering is the quiet pain of feeling unseen in our sacrifices, the ache of balancing career and family imperfectly, the worry we feel for our children and loved ones, and the deep questions we carry into prayer without finding immediate answers. (Paul reminds us that our suffering is not wasted when we unite them to those of Christ so that they take on a deeper meaning and can be offered up for the good of others.)

While reflecting, I sat for a long time, trying to understand the words that God was writing on my heart, and now I want to share with you the fruit of that reflection, which includes just a few ways that I feel compelled to live out those words.

Embrace our labour. Whether it's through motherhood, caregiving, ministry, or the workplace, our unseen efforts matter in the Kingdom of God.
Trust in God’s timing. God’s plans are often slow, quiet, and beyond our understanding, but God is always faithful.
Proclaim God. Live authentically, showing compassion and being rooted in prayer, even when our culture pushes us to conform.
Finally, we are not alone, and we are not without purpose. As women of faith, we carry within us the hope of glory — Christ Himself. Let us live with that quiet confidence, even while carrying our daily crosses.

Let us pray: Lord, teach me to rejoice in my daily sacrifices and unite them with Yours. Help me to see that my pain, perseverance, and love have eternal meaning. Make me be a witness to Your light for others in this world, especially other women who carry heavy loads in silence. Amen.


Shelly Fillmore

---