Newsletter – 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A.

REFLECTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE – by Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart

According to Jesus, children know more about some of God’s secrets than do the most clever adults.

Have you ever held a crying baby? Have you seen anyone else do it? Can anything be done to stop a baby crying? When the baby finally stops crying, is it because the pain has gone away? How can rocking, singing and cuddling help?

As we grow older, we perhaps don’t cry when we skin our knees or drop our toys, but we still have plenty of pain in our life. We never outgrow the ability to hurt or the need for comfort.

What might be one of God’s secrets about dealing with suffering or about comforting someone in pain?

Jesus doesn’t promise us a life without pain, but he says that the yoke and burden will be light and easy to bear.

When have you had to deal with great physical pain? What happened?

When have you had to deal with great emotional pain? What happened?

Which is easier to deal with – physical pain or emotional pain? Why?

How does living in the spirit of Jesus affect the way we deal with our pain?

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