Offering it to Jesus
June 14, 2025 at 8:18 a.m.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Talking about suffering seems to come naturally to us humans. We complain about the smallest things without even realizing it, and honestly, it’s a hard habit to break. Growing up, I knew someone who would always complain about everything. One day, I decided to help him, I thought maybe if I showed kindness, it would make a difference. I hoped it would help him see things differently. But even after trying to support him, he still found reasons to complain — about things I would’ve overlooked, especially if someone had been that kind to me. Eventually, I started avoiding being around him. No matter what was happening, I knew he would bring the mood down.
After that experience, I became very aware of how harmful constant complaining can be, not just for the person doing it, but for everyone around them. So, I made a conscious decision to stop complaining as much as I could. Instead, I tried to offer my suffering, even the little ones, to Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect. I still fall into it sometimes. But it’s something I’m working on continuously.
In Sunday’s second reading it hit me again: “Rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” It sounds like a lot, but it’s true. Suffering really does shape character, and it leads to hope, a hope we can only see when our hearts are open and docile to the Holy Spirit. And that openness takes practice. It takes virtue.
This week I challenge you to be intentional about not complaining. Rather in those moments, offer your inconveniences or trials or pain to Jesus. Next week, see if you can do just a little bit better than this week. Let it become a holy habit, a virtue.
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The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Talking about suffering seems to come naturally to us humans. We complain about the smallest things without even realizing it, and honestly, it’s a hard habit to break. Growing up, I knew someone who would always complain about everything. One day, I decided to help him, I thought maybe if I showed kindness, it would make a difference. I hoped it would help him see things differently. But even after trying to support him, he still found reasons to complain — about things I would’ve overlooked, especially if someone had been that kind to me. Eventually, I started avoiding being around him. No matter what was happening, I knew he would bring the mood down.
After that experience, I became very aware of how harmful constant complaining can be, not just for the person doing it, but for everyone around them. So, I made a conscious decision to stop complaining as much as I could. Instead, I tried to offer my suffering, even the little ones, to Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect. I still fall into it sometimes. But it’s something I’m working on continuously.
In Sunday’s second reading it hit me again: “Rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” It sounds like a lot, but it’s true. Suffering really does shape character, and it leads to hope, a hope we can only see when our hearts are open and docile to the Holy Spirit. And that openness takes practice. It takes virtue.
This week I challenge you to be intentional about not complaining. Rather in those moments, offer your inconveniences or trials or pain to Jesus. Next week, see if you can do just a little bit better than this week. Let it become a holy habit, a virtue.