That They Not Suffer Alone.

 

That They Not Suffer Alone

We must be willing to bear one another's burdens

 

If we are indeed to love one another we must be willing to suffer with others. The Lord tells us that we must "Bear one another's burdens, and so be filled with the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). When we learn to love others our compassion is such that we are willing to suffer with them. Their burdens become ours, and we lift them up and help them on their journey to God.

 

If our neighbor is suffering from job loss, or is struggling financially, now is not the time to distance ourselves from them. We may not have the resources to help them with their bills, but we can bring them comfort through voicing our love and concern.

 

When our friends experience the loss of a loved one, we must stand with them in their suffering, lending our loving support. If the woman next door is alone in her grief at the loss of her husband, we need to let her know we are there for her, even if only through frequent telephone conversations. If we see our neighbor's child crying on their front porch, succumbing to loneliness due to the distancing of their little friends, we must remember how much our little friends meant to us, when we were their age.

 

Even though we are, out of necessity, forced to live in isolation from those around us, we must remember that we can reach out through email, Facetime, or a random telephone call, and let others know they are not suffering alone, and that we are in solidarity with them.

 

With love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon