“Either you’re a bad teacher, or philosophy is a stupid discipline, because a class shouldn’t be this hard.” So said a student to me some years ago regarding the introductory philosophy class in which she was enrolled. The only way I knew how to be both truthful and charitable was to reply: “Most people find that the rewards of the discipline are commensurate with the level of effort invested.” We parted, each having failed to persuade the other. I was convinced that the effort required was justified; she was unconvinced.
That event came to mind while reflecting on the role of pain, suffering and struggle during Lent. Is Lent (and all of Christian discipleship) worth the effort? If so, how shall we live? As we meditate on the Lord’s Passion, pray the Stations of the Cross and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, especially during Lent, we inevitably think of the word “agony.” Ordinarily, we associate “agony” with extreme pain. During Lent, we think of the “Agony in the Garden” (Matt. 26:36-42; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46), an event depicted frequently in religious art and music. What are the roots of the word “agony” and what wisdom can the word offer us for Lent and beyond?
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