Often I have told the people in my preaching at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa for last 40 years that I am afraid of my salvation, because I did not suffer much. I always enjoyed the best of health. I have seen the suffering people in the nursing homes, hospitals or even in private homes. I have often went to the Shrine to pray for them or their loved ones.

I think the Lord heard my complaints and did not have to wait long to receive the grace of the Cross. I was diagnosed with a colon cancer on the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6, and last year in Doylestown hospital. It was not easy for me accept that I am on the way to death.

So many people visited my hospital room. One lady brought a large Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Some people brought all kinds relics and the water from Lourdes. I was very moved seeing the goodness and the since love for me. The nurses have to put a sign not to stay with me no more than 5 minutes. There was a procession of the people who wanted to see me and encourage me, including the Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, the Ordinary Bishop of Orlando, Florida. 

When all the people have left my hospital room, In the long hours of the night, I felt a little lonely. I have kept my eyes on that miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I knew that she loves very much. This was out of love me that she gave this Cross. And kept praying for the people in the hospital, the doctors and nurses who like Angels of God take care of the sick and dying people. It is beautiful profession. While at night I was thinking of those people in the hospital. I wondered if they understand my great mystery of human and Christian suffering. All the people of the world suffer. Nobody is exempted from the Cross. Old and young even the little children dying in the arms of their mothers suffer.

Suffering is a great mystery and a part of our existence on earth. While being still in Poland, I have visited the Concentration Camp of Auschwitz. In the museum, I have seen thousands of human bodies burned to the ashes in furnace. It was terrible to look at these pictures. It turned my stomach upside. I also have a privilege to see the death bunker of St. Father Maksimilian Maria Kolbe, the Polish Priest who offered his for the fellow prisoner. There was nothing the bunker but a large burning candle reminding the visitors of God the Light and our Immortality. Being myself a Priest of Polish descent, I was so proud of him. Since then he has become my spiritual hero and example, particularly in his great love for Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception. I was thinking also of St. Edith Stein, the Carmelite Sister Benedict of the Cross who offered life for her Jewish Nation and as the faithful daughter of the Church, she suffered the agony of humiliation and death to the Catholic Church. Before I left the Camp I thought to myself what the people can do if there is not faith in their minds and love in their hearts. Those German officers who did not believe in God and did not know his Laws would do the most terrible things because they believed only in themselves as a superior human race. Many people complained where was God of love and mercy that allowed these horrible things to happen?

As I said before, suffering is a profound mystery. Now human beings can resolve its mystery. It can be only resolve in the contemplating the mystery of the Cross on which Our Blessed died on the Calvary hill. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus suffered of loneliness and distress. He struggled with himself, and asked His Father to release him from suffering of the Passion and death he was to undergo. In the movie we see Jesus in Gethsemane battling with himself and prying to Father: “Father if possible let this cup pass me by. But my will be done but yours” (Mt 26: 39-42). In Gethsemane, we see the Satan. He watched Jesus in a great anguish and anxiety. The tempter, trying to discourage Jesus, said to him: “Who are you? Who is your Father? Do you really believe that one man can bear the full burden of sin? No man may carry this burden, I tell you. Saving their souls is too costly. No one, ever, no one.” Only in the Cross of Christ Crucified, we understand the meaning of human and Christian suffering. During the Lenten season, when we make Stations of the Cross we pray to the Lord “We bless and adore you, O Christ because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world: He wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. By his wounds we are healed.”

The Christian suffering is the sharing with Christ’s suffering. It is the way that leads us to Eternal Life. By his crucifition and death Christ, the Son of the Living God has paid the penalty for our transcriptions in order to liberate us from eternal condemnation. It was also meant of forgiving of all our sins when Christ prayed to his Father: “Father forgives them; they do not know what they doing.” Jesus death on the Cross has brought the hope to our broken world. There no remission of sins without the shading of the Blood that poured out for us on the Cross.

Our suffering joint with Christ sufferings can serve as our purgatory on earth. Sooner or later we have to pay for our sins and imperfections before we enter the Heavenly Jerusalem, the City of God and our dwelling places. Therefore, it is better and easier for us to pay by accepting lovingly our little suffering and paying for our wrong doings rather here on earth then to suffer someday in the flames of Purgatory.

When I mediate on the suffering of Christ, especially when I pray the 5 sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary. I think of Our Blessed Mother of all Sorrows. In my Monastery room I have so many images of Our Lady which I have collected over the years. Most of them are the sorrowful ones, including Our Lady of Czestochowa with the wounded face. When I pray the sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary, I try to think of how she accepted her suffering and live out the prophesy of the old man Simeon by name who served the Lord in the Temple. When he took the Divine Child in his arms, he uttered a strange prophesy: “Your heart will be pierced with the sword.” She never forget this prophesy. She was thinking day and night when this sword would fall upon her. This finally completely accomplished at the foot of the Cross. By one thrust of the Roman soldiers lance, two hearts were crushed: the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The presence of Blessed Mother at the foot of the Cross is a tremendous help to all suffering people. She is the Mother of all Sorrows. She keeps saying the Prophet: “All of you who pass by, look at me, is there any sorrow as my sorrow.”

I have watched the movie “The Passion” many times and I have learned a lot from it, especially I watched Our Blessed Mother’s behavior during the Passion of Jesus. She accompanied Jesus at every step He made. It is such a sad scene when after the horrible the Scourging of Our Blessed Lord. The Blessed Mother collected the Blood of Jesus spread all over the floor. And there much Blood shed… and then Our Blessed Mother walked just behind Jesus carrying his heavy Cross. There was a lovely when eyes of Jesus and his Mother met. She said to Him: „I am here …” She was always at Jesus site, Her eyes filled with tears never lose the sight of He Son, especially now, during his bitter Passion. When Jesus was about to expire, she said to Him: “You are my Son, my body and my heart. Let mi die with you…” What a love she has shown for his Beloved Son. Did she ever complain because of her suffering? She did not. She knew exactly what going to happen and lovingly submitted her herself to the Holy Will of God.

As are about to enter into the Lenten season, let pray all suffering people may understand the grace of our sufferings and sorrows. Suffering and tears are good for the soul. The suffering we all experience is a very special grace, which I have accepted my suffering as a Priest and Victim of Christ. When I say the Holy Mass, I join Our Blessed Mother whom I love with all my heart. It is for me a very special grace given for me that shall prepare myself for the Life everlasting. Now I have nothing to fear of or to loose but all to gain. The Life everlasting is waiting for me.

During this most Holy Season of Jesus bitter and suffering, let us join Most Holy Mother, the Mother of all Sorrows that she may assist us our journey of Lent and live this Season a great grace with Jesus Crucified and be worthy to share His glorious Resurrection. 

Father Marian Zalecki, OSPPE   

  Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa