Jesus asked his disciples about who people said that he was and Peter, through the revelation of God answered, “the Christ of God” (Lk 9:20). Jesus then responded that “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised” (Lk 9:22).

The point of who Jesus is never gets old. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we come to a deeper understanding of Peter’s words.

Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Yet, that meant many things to many people who were awaiting the coming of the Messiah. For most, they were hoping for a military leader to come to lead them and overthrow their Roman occupiers. As soon as Peter made his statement, Jesus clarified what kind of Messiah that he would be, a suffering servant. Peter had trouble with understanding this and he represents us as well. One of the points of faith many of us struggle with is the same as Peter, why did Jesus have to suffer?

Jesus was willing to be sent by his Father to become human and to experience all of humanity, even the suffering of our humanity, because only that which Jesus assumed could he redeem. Also, in experiencing our suffering, even unto death, we can know without hesitation or doubt that Jesus understands our struggles and anguish. And that means we are never alone in our suffering.

The reality is that the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, is Jesus. He is the suffering servant, the One willing to give his life on the Cross for all of humanity and creation. Jesus did not do this in some abstract way. He died for each and every human being that has lived, is now living, now reading these words, or ever will live. He died for you because he loves you.

Jesus “died in body through a love greater than anyone had known” (St. Bernard). Are we not only willing to receive his love but also suffer and sacrifice for one another, some of us even unto death as did St. Cosmas and St. Damian whose memorial we celebrate today? Our discipleship will be ultimately expressed in this radical love, in our willing the good of each other no matter the cost. We must be willing to let our hearts be moved with compassion and as St. Mother Teresa taught by, “Giving until it hurts.”

To give until it hurts means allowing our hearts to be open to love. For our hearts to be open to the pain of another means we need to be healed. The Divine Physician seeks to remove our hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. This divine surgery happens at the Cross when we are willing to bring our suffering to Jesus whose arms are wide open and ready to embrace us.

The Suffering Servant understands and experiences our pain. He can help us to experience instead of run from our pain. There is no way to cover up, go around, sidestep, and/or deny, our suffering. It will remain until we face and experience it head on. But we don’t have to do so alone, nor can we. For what Jesus has assumed he will redeem. When we are ready and at the pace, we are willing to go, Jesus will provide healing. As we are healing, we are then able to experience more empathy and compassion, to suffer with, to love others, and walk with them on their own journey toward healing, toward receiving the love we all have been made for.

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Photo: Just as the sun is present even as clouds gather, Jesus is present in our time of suffering.

Link for the Mass readings for Friday, September 26, 2025