Spring is the time of commencement. People young and old are transitioning from one stage of life to another --- from school to the work force, or from one academic program to more advanced education.

We hear speeches from students, celebrities and leaders urging graduates on to embrace a bright future full of opportunity, and to work for the common good as well as for their professional success. At the end of the ceromonies, the graduates cheer and toss their hats in an expression of hope and optimism.

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus prays for his own followers: "As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world." This may at first sound like a sentiment borrowed from a commencement address --- Jesus is praying that his followers will carry forth his message of love, compassion, generosity and joy. It is important to remember, however, that while God sent Jesus into the world to heal and forgive, Jesus was also sent to suffer and die, alone and abandoned, in horrific fashion.

We are called to follow Jesus and we are promised many things if we do so. We are promised love, compassion, healing and forgiveness. But we are not promised success, at least not in a material sense. And we are not promised popularity. We are promised that we will suffer, and we are challenged to remain true to our calling even when it brings us pain and suffering.

I don't think about this very often. I mean I hope my faith will help endure the suffering that life brings. Loved ones get ill and die. Setbacks in my life happen. And I rely on God in those times. But I don't really expect my faith to cause suffering. I expect that the days of persecution and martyrdom are over. There are, however, many other ways that following Jesus might lead us to pain and suffering.

The great people of our church, from St. Therese to Mother Teresa, did not set out to suffer. They did not choose holiness as a career path. They followed Jesus Christ and had the faith and courage to follow him even when it led them to great sacrifice and suffering. They shared their lives through service, prayer and worship in extremely difficult situations.

These heroes of our church experienced great rewards --- they saw and felt the love of God like few people do --- but that did not remove them from situations of great difficulty. They remained where God sent them.

I don't know if I can do the same. None of us knows until we are confronted with the opportunity to go into the world as Jesus did --- when our faith brings us into painful situations.

But God does not send us into the world to avoid pain and suffering, or even suggest that we can alleviate all the pain and suffering in our communities. God sends us into the world to follow Jesus Christ, and to follow him even when it leads us into suffering.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.