Good Friday. My mom and I went to the church today to pray the Stations of the Cross. At each of the 14 stations, there was a meditation about a particular element of suffering that Jesus Christ endured as he carried his cross to the place of his crucifixion and was ultimately put to death. Each station also included a personal prayer that correlated with the particular element. Even though the church was full of people saying the same prayers, it felt very personal to me. We asked for help to undergo the sufferings that we feel in life – physical ailments, missing loved ones, watching others go through hard times. We prayed for faith and the ability to trust God with all the situations in our lives. We asked for help to love more and be more compassionate. Generic prayers, perhaps, but I felt as if the words were written for me alone. My mother felt the same way. I think that is one of the blessings of being in relationship with God. He is everywhere, available to everyone, all the time. Yet, when I pray, it feels very private – just me and God.

I Found God today in remembering the suffering Jesus Christ endured through His crucifixion, which helped me to trust that my own sufferings are beneficial.