Suffering is an inescapable aspect of life, but the Bible helps us to understand what we can do with it, Flagstaff's San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church and School said in its Aug. 30 bulletin.

"In a tenderly poetic passage, the prophet Jeremiah clings to the Lord, despite the suffering and hatred he endures in God's service," the bulletin said. "Since speaking on behalf of the Lord is the cause of his anguish, Jeremiah flirts with the idea of giving it all up, of abandoning his ministry. But God is 'too strong' and Jeremiah remains faithful even in violent times."

Jeremiah remained in the service of the Lord because he knew "there is no life without God," the bulletin said. But we can do something with our suffering. St. Paul said to offering our suffering to the Lord as a "living sacrifice."

Not only should we offer our suffering but our words, thoughts, prayers, actions and joys.

"Our sacrifices— little or big, happy or sad— become the stuff of miracles," the bulletin said.

Just like Jesus transformed five loaves and two fish into enough to feed a crowd, he can transform our sacrifices if we offer them up to him.

"But Jesus takes whatever we offer," the bulletin said. "He blesses it. He breaks it. He transforms it into grace for ourselves and for all people in need."