Christ’s Solidarity With Those Who Suffer
At the Votive Mass of The Precious Blood of Christ at Westminster Cathedral (in September 2010) Pope Benedict XVI spoke movingly about Christ the High priest and His solidarity with all those who suffer.
Three decades earlier in his book Introduction to Christianity, he wrote about belief as “symbol”, whose Latin root, symballein, means “to come together”. Thus on the first level, the Holy Mass as an act of worship brings us together as believers and on the second level brings us all together with Christ who shares even in the greatest moments of our suffering. This is God’s covenantal promise — we shall never be orphans, never alone in our suffering.
The Original Prayer Request
When this post was first published, the Knights asked prayers for Brother David’s father, Rudy, after he suffered a brain aneurysm. That original intention is remembered here as part of the community’s history of carrying one another’s burdens in prayer.
Finding Christian Support in Suffering
Faith does not require a person to pretend that pain is easy. Christians may grieve, seek medical and professional help, ask difficult questions, and still trust that Christ remains present. The Mass, the sacraments, quiet prayer, and the care of other people can become concrete signs that suffering is not faced alone.
When someone else is suffering, simple fidelity matters: listen without rushing to explain, offer practical help, remember the person by name in prayer, and remain present after the first crisis has passed.
If you would like the Knights to pray for a present need, submit it through our Catholic prayer request page.