Patriarch Daniel: God responds with mercy when human suffering reaches its limit

“When human suffering reaches the limits of endurance, God intervenes with His mercy,” His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel emphasised on Sunday at the historic Chapel of St George the Great Martyr at the Patriarchal Residence.

The Romanian Patriarch explained the miracle of the raising of the widow’s son at Nain, showing how the Saviour Jesus Christ took the initiative to respond to the suffering of a mother accompanying her only son to his burial.

His Beatitude pointed out that the Gospel passage does not mention the names of the widow of Nain or her son, “because the grieving mother accompanying her only son to the cemetery represents all bereaved mothers”.

Christ suffers with those who suffer The Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church explained that the miracle performed by the Saviour reveals His merciful love for humanity, “which is called compassion, meaning suffering together with those who suffer because of emotional pain”.

Referring to the teaching of St Maximus the Confessor, His Beatitude explained that the Saviour’s sacrificial love continues to be manifested towards people experiencing suffering even after His Resurrection.

“The risen Christ continually…