"Does that suffering drag us down? Or do we take it in and reflect back to the world God's love?" On the Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian (September 16), Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, O.P. offers a reflection from Martin de Porres House in Oak Park that completes a three-day lesson on suffering.
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross showed us that suffering taken on for the sake of something better is not all bad; it is exactly what perfected Jesus and saved us. Our Lady of Sorrows showed us that the ability to feel deep sorrow for others is a blessing that binds us together. Today, two martyrs, Pope Cornelius and Bishop Cyprian, show us what it looks like to carry that suffering all the way through. And St. Paul names the challenge in 2 Corinthians 4: "We hold this treasure in earthen vessels... afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
That's the rub. Life hands us suffering, and solidarity with others means we take on even more. The question is what we reflect back: the suffering itself, or the sure knowledge that God is overcoming it and saving the world through it? We see it big in saints like Cyprian. But Fr. Scott asks honestly whether we show it in the little things, when frustration gets the better of us and we reflect something less than the Gospel. Is our faith really that weak, or do we just forget?
The task for today: take on the suffering that is ours, transform it, and reflect it back in love, at every moment of every day.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:04 – Welcome to A Word of Hope – Memorial of Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian
0:12 – Fr. Scott at Martin de Porres House
0:15 – Three feasts, one fuller lesson: Holy Cross, Our Lady of Sorrows, and today
0:30 – The Exaltation of the Cross: suffering that perfected Jesus and saved us
0:42 – Suffering isn't all bad when taken on for something better
0:53 – Our Lady of Sorrows: feeling deep sorrow for others is a blessing
1:11 – Cornelius and Cyprian: a pope and a bishop, both martyrs
1:25 – The first reading from 2 Corinthians
1:39 – "We hold this treasure in earthen vessels"
1:50 – Afflicted but not constrained, perplexed but not driven to despair
1:59 – Persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed
2:05 – Carrying the dying of Jesus so his life may be manifested in us
2:17 – "And that's the rub"
2:22 – Life hands us suffering, and solidarity means we take on more
2:30 – Does suffering drag us down? What do we reflect to the world?
2:44 – The sure knowledge that God is overcoming suffering
2:56 – We see it big in saints like Cyprian, but do we show it in our lives?
3:04 – Getting frustrated at little things and reflecting unedifying things
3:26 – "Is my faith really that weak? Or do I just forget it?"
3:32 – Keep focused on why there is suffering and what is being done to overcome it
3:42 – Take on the suffering that is ours, transform it, reflect it back in love
3:56 – Then the world and our lives will be a better place
4:07 – God bless you in that task today
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💬 When life hands you suffering, what do you tend to reflect back to the world? Share your thoughts in the comments.
📺 Catch the full three-day series:
▶️ The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14)
▶️ Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15)
📖 First Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
📖 Gospel: John 17:11b-19
📅 Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs – Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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