Suffering

The origins of Rose Sunday lie in antiquity. The Pope would bless golden roses and give them as gifts. The symbolism is deep: gold for Christ the king, flower for beauty, fragrance for the Gospel, and thorns for the passion. This tradition reminds us that Christian joy and suffering are inseparably bound. Those who desire a life of joy only (or pleasure) are always angry, for this can’t be attained. Suffering is inevitable. The soul that accepts suffering, unites it with Christ, and offers it to God, receives many graces and lives at peace.