Sore loser, sure loser

WE cannot deny that in life we cannot avoid experiencing

some defeats and losses, some setbacks, failures, disasters and

crises. And all these possible scenarios can occur in spite of our

best intentions and efforts.

            Our reaction to all these should be, as much as possible,

gracious, not bitter, sad or sullen. Like Christ who also suffered the

worst defeat by being crucified as a criminal in the worst kind of

injustice that can take place in this world, we have to go through

these possible situations calmly and, yes, prayerfully.

            We always have to remember that only with Christ, only

when we unite our suffering with the passion and death of Christ,

would our defeats and losses, our setbacks, failures, disasters and

crises become a path to our own resurrection with Christ. Our victory

is assured and guaranteed by Christ himself who takes care of

everything.

            Obviously, human as we are, we can neither deny that our

reflex reactions to these negative scenarios would be anger or

sadness, bitterness, cursing, and the like. But we should not stay

long there. We have to cut it as immediately as possible. God will

always understand us. He is a father who is omnipotent to provide us

with all the graces and means to overcome those instantaneous human

reactions.

            We should not be sore losers, because to be one is also to

be a sure loser. If we are always guided by our Christian faith, we

know that the many contradictions we can meet in life are good, and

even privileged, occasions to get closer to God. He actually pays

special attention to us when we are in some difficulty. This truth of

our faith should never be lost in our mind and heart.

            We have to learn to train and purify our emotions and the

other human faculties we have so they can conform to this wonderful

truth of our faith. We have to learn to smile and be cheerful, sport

and game, whenever some of these dark events come our way. We should

always be hopeful, optimistic, bright-eyed in all this drama.

            We should try to avoid playing the role of the victim,

because there is only one real victim, and that is Christ, who turned

things around by converting his passion and death into his way to his

resurrection.

            Of course, we also suffer. We cannot avoid it. But that

suffering becomes sweet and meaningful when united with the suffering

of Christ. May we learn to suffer with a smile on our lips, and an

irrevocable confidence in the God’s mercy and love in our heart.

            To those who may have caused us suffering and humiliation,

we should always be nice and charitable. We have to drive away any

trace of anger, hatred and rancor. We have to be magnanimous, offering

the other cheek as Christ himself told us. (cfr. Mt 5,39)

            In a sense, we should even be thankful for them because

they are giving us the occasion to identify ourselves more like

Christ. This is never a form of masochism, but rather a concrete

expression of Christian charity. And so, we should even be welcoming

to these situations whenever they approach us.

            Of course, this does not mean that we provoke or cause our

suffering, although as a way to prepare ourselves for the unavoidable

suffering, we may actively submit ourselves to some personal

mortifications. It is our duty to try to avoid suffering and to

overcome it as soon as possible. That’s because in the end, we are

meant for a life of joy and bliss which, though fully fulfilled in

heaven, can be sought here also on earth.

            So, instead of being sore losers, let’s be a good sport,

knowing fully well that our defeats and losses, setbacks, failures,

disasters and crises are only temporal. They do not have the last

word. It’s God’s love and mercy that has it.