Jesus did not come to bring a message of earthly happiness nor to establish in this world an era which would banish all tears and grief.

Rather, he came to take upon himself the full weight of human suffering in order to transform it into a means of salvation, and, therefore, of eternal happiness in that blessed land where alone “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying nor pain” (Rev 21:4). 

The life of man redeemed by Christ is a beginning of this endless happiness. The “great joy” brought by Jesus is so real that it can pass through every kind of suffering without being smothered. In fact Jesus has pointed out that the way that leads to blessedness runs right through the way of tribulations embraced out of love for God. 

Therefore we cannot look upon suffering as a disaster to be avoided by all means nor as an undesirable event to which we must submit out of necessity; nor solely as a punishment for sin, but as a means of salvation, because it is a means of communion with Christ who died and rose again to redeem sinful humanity. Suffering is the gate that introduces us into the paschal mystery of the Lord and lets us live it in its aspect of passion and death to prepare us for that of resurrection. It is impossible to share in the resurrection of Christ if we do not first suffer and die with him.