Selected quotes of Pope Benedict XVI offered daily for prayer and reflection….

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Suffering
 


Suffering is abhorrent to the human heart, yet it remains true that when accepted with love and illuminated with faith, it becomes a precious opportunity that unites us mysteriously to Christ the Redeemer, the Man of suffering Who on the Cross took upon Himself the pain and death of man.
With the sacrifice of His life He redeemed human suffering and made it the fundamental means of salvation.

 
Address
San Matteo Hospital
Pavia, Italy
22 April 2007

 
 
 
Suffering
 


Entrust to the Lord the discomfort and pain you have to face, and in His plan you will become means of purification and redemption for the entire world.

 
Address to the Sick
Hospital of San Matteo
Pavia, Italy
22 April 2007

 
 
 
Suffering
 


Suffering is part of the very mystery of the human person. Certainly we must do whatever we can to reduce suffering ... but to banish it from the world altogether is not in our power. None of us is capable of eliminating the power of evil, which ... is a constant source of suffering. The only person who can eliminate the power of evil is God.

 
Address at Hospital
San Giovanni Rotondo
Southern Italy
21 June 2009

 
 
 
Suffering
 


Suffering is also part of the truth of our life. By seeking to shield the youngest from every difficulty and experience of suffering, we risk raising brittle and ungenerous people, despite our good intentions; indeed, the capacity for loving corresponds to the capacity for suffering and for suffering together.

 
Letter to the Faithful of Rome
On Educating Young People
21 January 2008

 
 
 
Suffering
 


Suffering can bring about change for the good. In our own trials, and standing alongside others in their struggles, we glimpse the essence of our humanity, we become, as it were, more human.

 
Address
Regina Pacis Center
Amman, Jordan
8 May 2009

 
 
 
Suffering
 


At times we would like to say to Jesus: Lord, your yoke is far from light. Indeed, it is tremendously heavy in this world. But then looking at the One who bore everything - who tried out on himself obedience, weakness, suffering, all the darkness, then these complaints of ours fade. His yoke is that of loving with him. And the more we love him and with him become loving people, the lighter becomes his seemingly burdensome yoke.
Let us pray to him to help us become with him people who are loving, thereby to increasingly experience how beautiful it is to take up his yoke.

 
Homily
Chrism Mass, Holy Thursday
5 April 2007

 

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