To All Who Carry a Cross and Follow the Crucified Jesus 
Jesus Christ invites you to offer Him your prayers and suffering for yourselves and others. Your life has immense value even if you are sick, weak, or impaired. You can strengthen your daily prayer by joining it to your suffering. By trusting in God and choosing LIFE, you give great hope to all of us.
May you be blessed for your love of Jesus and for your great example! May you be blessed for your quiet life of sanctity and for continuing each day! May you be blessed for your will to live for Jesus Christ!
“The Redeemer suffered in place of man and for man. Every man has his own share in the redemption. Each one is also called to share in that suffering through which the redemption was accomplished…. In bringing about the redemption through suffering, Christ has also raised human suffering to the level of the redemption. Thus each man in his suffering can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.”
– Pope John Paul II, On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering, Par. 19, 2-11-1984
By your prayers, sacrifices, and sufferings, you are helping to bring people to Christ and to save souls. Without the cross, there is no redemption. Without prayer and sacrifice, there is no atonement for sin. In all of your suffering, God is with you holding you close to His heart more each day as you unite yourself with Him.
St. Paul writes: “Even now I find joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church.” (Col. 1:24) “We 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 which has been given to us.”(Rom. 5:3-5) “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him . . .” (Heb. 5:7-9)
St. Peter writes: “If you put up with suffering for doing what is right, this is acceptable in God’s eyes. It was for this you were called, since Christ suffered for you in just this way and left you an example, to have you follow in His footsteps.” (1 Pet..2:20-21 )
Please give every pain and suffering to Jesus. He has already suffered everything and He will give you consolation. You can pray: Jesus, I give everything to You. Jesus, I trust in You. Repeat this often and recall the heroic example of Pope John Paul II during his final years. He united his suffering with Jesus on the cross, bringing grace and hope to all of us.
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