Baptized Into Christ’s Suffering
I suppose suffering is something that we do not like to talk about, let alone, do. All you need to do is to watch television a bit and you will notice that most of the medications advertised claim to remove suffering. From serious suffering such as depression to suffering because your skin is blotchy they promise relief, although some of the side-effects sound worse than the original problem. Those offerings extend far beyond legal sources. Pain is not always bad. In fact it is part of our bodies’ defense mechanism. You touch a hot pan and it hurts so you pull your hand away. Depression works the same way, something makes you depressed and you avoid it. I am not advocating for pain and suffering here. I like to avoid it as much as possible. I bring it up because Peter seems to spend much of his letter writing about it.
If you have paid any attention to the parts of his letter we have read from this Easter you would have noted that Peter contrasts suffering for what is good and just against suffering for doing wrong. He also tries to discern when you are doing one or the other. As I have pointed out these past several weeks life was tough in the Roman world 2,000 years ago. That was especially true for the Christians. Many of them were poor or slaves. They were persecuted and punished for their belief. So it is a common theme that Peter brings up. It is to answer the question about why, since they were baptized into Christ, were they suffering? It is an age-old question. Peter’s answer throughout his letter is to place suffering in second (or lessor) place to witnessing to others about Jesus.
How you suffer and why is more important than the suffering itself. To emphasize this Peter uses Jesus as an example. He suffered to bring us to God. Once made holy by Jesus’ suffering we have nothing to fear (but God alone – remember your catechism). That is probably what Peter is emphasizing when he mentions the spirits in prison. (These verses are some of the most difficult ones in the New Testament to discern). Those spirits are the things that keep you from living the life God intends for you. By telling you that Jesus preached to them in his death Peter is reminding you that they no longer have dominion over you. You have been set free from sin and death and now can fully live your life as God intends.
That means we now are able to set aside those false idols – money, fashion, popularity, and the like – as Paul tells us and worship the true God. Not only has Jesus cleared all the barriers that keep us away from living as God intended, he has sent us an advocate who will intercede for us. The Holy Spirit will not only stand in for us but will guide and comfort us. That is why Peter is confident that we will live our life trying to avoid suffering but showing the love of God in Christ Jesus. We have been washed clean by the waters that saved Noah and his family and made into God’s holy family. Together, with the advocate, we can proclaim Jesus our whole life – in sickness and health, in sorrow and joy, in suffering and jubilation – so that all who we meet will experience God’s love.