The value suffering for Edmond Dantes

When I was in high school, I was very involved with Life Teen, my church's youth group program. During my senior year, I heard the story of the Miraculous Medal which was given to Saint Catherine Labouré by Mary in several visions during her life. The front of the medal depicts Mary standing atop the world with her hands - palms out - by her side and light pouring from her fingers. Mary told Catherine that the lights were the graces given to her by God to give to souls who asked for them. She went on to explain that those graces which appeared very dim were those that were not asked for often. One of these graces was suffering. After hearing the story, I told my close friend and mentor, Dee, that I intended to begin praying to God through Mary for the grace of suffering. To which Dee replied, "You will regret asking for that." I told her I did not care - I desperately wanted that grace!!

Little did I know what was in store for me in making that prayer. I prayed for suffering and received it in abundance - but I also know I've received the grace along with it. I have had many a moment of sobbing with emotional and physical pain and distress pleading to God "I've had enough! I don't want this anymore!" and begged Him to take suffering away. But always, as it is with our Lord, I quickly saw the graces earned by my suffering and I always end up requesting that suffering again.

This evening I watched The Count of Monte Cristo. A very good movie (based on the famous book) that I would definitely recommend to anyone. But in watching it tonight, I felt a tap on my shoulder from God reminding me once again of the importance of suffering in our lives.

For those who do not know the story, I'll tell it briefly. Edmond Dantes is a young man when he is falsely imprisoned for treason to France. He spends 13 years in a horrid maximum security prison and after several years there befriends a priest who is digging his way out of the chateau. Eventually, the priest dies and on his deathbed, tells Dantes to trust in God. After 13 years in prison, Dantes bitterly replies, "I don't believe in God." To which the answer comes, "It doesn't matter. He believes in you."

Dantes escapes the prison and immediately begins to seek revenge for his imprisonment. When he finds his fiancé, Mercedes, married to the man who betrayed him, his anger only worsens. When Mercedes is finally able to confront him, knowing who is he, she begs him to put his revenge aside and simply be with her. When she tells him that God has offered them a new beginning, Dantes replies, "Can I never escape Him?" She says, "No. . . He is in everything."

It takes the entire story for Dantes to finally realize the value in his suffering. When finally given the opportunity to kill his betrayer he realizes he cannot do it.

Dantes is a wonderful literary character living the story of suffering that we all live. No, we are not all falsely imprisoned for over a decade - or are we?

Sometimes I think we are allowing ourselves to be imprisoned when we do not cherish the value of our suffering. We shut ourselves away from God as Dantes was shut from the world he knew. We ask, "Why me?" or say "I don't deserve this!"

But it is critical remember that when suffering in those ways, we are one with Christ - who deserved NOTHING of the suffering He bore through His Passion and Death. And so when we suffer, we bring ourselves closer to Him and ride that 'little elevator' up another floor.