In the midst of struggles and troubles, and especially in suffering, we will certainly question the meaning of life and our existence on earth.
If life is such a pain, then does life have any meaning at all?
Certainly if life is painful with suffering added to it, then there is not much meaning to life, nor to the meaning of our existence on earth,
But that is only if we do not believe in God. If we do believe in God, then there can be a response to the pains and sufferings of life.
The 1st reading says that the suffering of this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us.
In other words, in the midst of pain and suffering on earth, we want to look beyond to the joy and peace of heaven.
And what we do on earth will be echoed in heaven.
When we accept the pain and suffering of life, we unite ourselves with the pain and sufferings of Jesus on the Cross.
By His suffering, He saved us. By uniting our sufferings with Jesus may we too be saved and may our hope of heaven be revealed to us.