NHL referee Kerry Fraser Fraser took a cancer diagnosis and turned it into a desire to give and do more for other people, writes Pat Macken. (Wikimedia Commons photo)
Our Lord Jesus suffered such an incredible amount during his passion and crucifixion in order to claim ultimate victory over death for us, you and me.
Understanding the meaning of his suffering, why it had to be this way, is one of the biggest lessons we all need to learn coming out of Easter.
This is what the world at large is struggling with right now, the meaning of suffering. Since for many they find no purpose to suffering even in small ways and as a result depression, suicide, euthanasia, and abortion become acceptable solutions to the tough challenges in life.
In sports, athletes, like everyone else, suffer and often struggle to understand what is happening to them. Here are a few stories of world class athletes who have suffered in different ways and how they have become stronger from their experience.
Mario Ancic retired from the Association of Tennis Professionals tour a few years ago. The tall Croatian reached as high as #7 in the world, winning an Olympic bronze medal and defeating Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
However, things were not always smooth during his career and he relied heavily on his Catholic faith and the help of an uncle who is a priest to get him through it.
During his prime he was struck down by an illness that doctors at first couldn’t identify. Ancic was constantly worn down and sick, losing lots of weight. Ultimately it was diagnosed as a serious case of mononucleosis but because he wanted so desperately to represent his country in the Davis Cup and the London Olympics he kept playing through it.
This proved to be very dangerous and ultimately cost him the better part of two years on the disabled list. It was how Ancic responded that is inspiring. After his initial questioning of God as to why this would happen, he then finally understood. “God used the mono to talk to me; he invited me to take up my cross and follow him daily. Previously I was willing to suffer in training for a match victory but unwilling to suffer for a spiritual victory.”
Ancic believes that how we look at suffering is the key. “Two criminals died next to Jesus on the cross. One complained and asked that his suffering be taken away while the other accepted his suffering and was promised paradise from Jesus.” This is the challenge for all of us, to see the redemptive value in our suffering.
Rich Donnelly has been in baseball all his life as both a major league player and then for many years as a coach including with the Seattle Mariners. He won a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997.
His daughter Amy died at the age of 17 from brain cancer and he had his whole life turned upside down. A phrase that he used from that period in his life was that “In life you are either humble or you will be humbled.”
Donnelly and his wife have eight children and they turned to their Catholic faith to find meaning. They found that helping others was a major outcome of their suffering was to help others. The inevitability of death for us all led them to follow the passage “The last shall be first.” Their strength out of suffering came from making a difference in other people’s lives. All of us will find more inspiration in doing something for someone else.
Kerry Fraser was a legendary National Hockey League referee, having survived the on-ice battles for 30 years. I am sure some of you reading this were not happy with some calls he made over the years.
Now in retirement he faces an off-ice battle with a rare and incurable chronic blood disorder called essential thrombocythemia (ET) which is in the leukemia family. Fraser, who is a convert to Catholicism and is a father of 7 children, was totally caught off guard at the diagnosis.
The first step he took in his suffering was to be grateful for what he has been given in life and even that it was diagnosed early enough before having a possible stroke (which is common with ET).
Fraser, like Donnelly, also felt a real urge to give and do more for other people. He also found his illness became a source of increasing trust in God, who has everything in his hands. We all should trust God like this at all times, but in suffering we are reminded even more.
Yes, there is meaning to suffering. Jesus showed us the way and we must follow him and carry our cross with purpose and love of others.