NECESSARY TO LET IT BE

NECESSARY TO LET IT BE

From From the Friars (Catholic Christian Spirituality) by Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

April 20, 2026 · 14 min

About this episode

This episode explores the meaning of suffering and how it relates to God's greater plan of love.

Step onto the road to Emmaus and discover your own story unfolding. In this powerful homily, we walk alongside the two disciples who encounter the risen Jesus without recognizing Him. As He opens the Scriptures, revealing how every promise, every prophecy, and every suffering pointed to the Messiah, something begins to stir: *“Were not our hearts burning within us?”* But this is not just their story, it is yours. What does it mean that Jesus says it was *necessary* for Him to suffer? And what if that same word, "necessary," applies to the crosses in your own life? In this episode, we explore the hidden meaning behind suffering, the mysterious way God writes straight with crooked lines, and how, one day, Christ Himself will walk with you and reveal how every trial, every sorrow, and every unanswered question was part of a greater plan of love. Drawing connections to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and Mary’s courageous “yes” at the Annunciation, this homily invites you into the deepest prayer of the Christian life: “Let it be done to me according to your word.” If you’ve ever struggled to understand your suffering… If you’ve ever wondered where God is in the midst of your…

Topics covered

  • suffering
  • faith
  • spirituality
  • Christianity
  • hope

Keywords

  • Emmaus
  • risen Jesus
  • necessary suffering
  • crosses in life
  • Garden of Gethsemane
  • Mary's yes
  • Christian prayer
  • faith
  • hope
  • love

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Scriptures, Daily Homilies from the Blue Army Shrine

Places: Emmaus

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