The Pain in Healing

The past few weeks have been hell. So much pain. So much suffering. And yes, there was despair. Deep, lonely, inconsolable despair. It felt as if a boulder weighed down upon my heart, slowly crushing the life out of it. I pleaded with Jesus for an end.

Will I ever be free? Can I ever live a normal life again? For over a year, I have poured my heart and soul in pursuing healing! Why is it that I feel more broken than ever? I just want the tears to end. I want to know what it's like to be happy again.

I felt so broken that I didn't know how to pray. Day after day was like being stuck in a filthy, dark prison that was impossible to break free from. It took every ounce strength to summon the words, "Jesus, I trust in You." Even then my heart couldn't believe. Deeper and deeper I sank.

I couldn't understand why. Hadn't I endured enough suffering? All I felt was discouragement. I am weak. I will never be the woman I was created to be. There's no use in trying. I can never truly change.

These are all lies, brothers and sisters. I stand now in the light of truth and rebuke those lies in the name of Jesus. Because growth cannot come without pain. And to be healed, one has to suffer, deeply suffer, everything that they have tried to forget, everything that they have pushed away. Because as one grows, one learns to accept truth. And the truth is something we often do not want to acknowledge.

How much of our lives have we lived in denial? How truly are we really able to see our circumstances and the people around us? How many of us come from broken families? How many of us have suffered from abandonment? With alcoholism or an alcoholic family member? With abuse? So many of us do, yet we all struggle to accept this reality. Because facing this reality means feeling. It means feeling the loss of the time wasted in an imaginary world. It means allowing the harsh feelings of abandonment, addiction, and abuse to penetrate our very hearts. It means grieving the family we never had, the nurturing we never received. It means grieving the death of a life that felt so real but that never existed. And those feelings can be so painful there are times when it feels like they will break you. How tempting it is to want to return to blissful ignorance!

"Brothers and sisters:

For freedom Christ set us free;

so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery."
~ Galatians 5:1

To seek healing is to be courageous. It is easier to live a life of denial than it is to embrace reality and allow it to change our hearts. Jesus wants you to be healed because true freedom cannot come without healing. Do not be afraid to suffer. Do not be discouraged as the waves of pain come. He will give you the strength and he will calm the seas.

My child,
Your cries are heard by me. My beloved child, how I love you. I have not left your side, not once.I know your pain. I am here to console you. Let me wrap my arms around you. Let me hold you as you shake with tears. I am here. You are not alone. Let me suffer with you. Don't push me away. My heart longs to be your refuge. Run into my heart, beloved. Nothing can happen to you when you seek refuge within my heart.

Healing Our Self Image

"I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this." ~ Psalm 139:4

             Several months ago, I knelt before the tabernacle in prayer. My heart was full of the desire to grow in love for my God and for His children. 

Jesus, I want my capacity for love to grow. I want to be able to love you with all of my heart and to bring your love to my brothers and sisters. Help my heart to feel what you feel- to feel joy when you are joyful and to feel pain when you are suffering. I want to love you more, my God! I want to be a little vessel, carrying the love in your Sacred Heart to others!

          I continued to pray earnestly for this gift. And as I prayed, Abba spoke to me reminding me of an important truth:

My Beloved Daughter,

It delights my heart to know of your desire to love me and others.

But while you grow in love for others, 

you must also continue to grow in self love.

          His words surprised me. Growing in self love wasn’t something I had much reflected on before. What did healthy self love even look like? When I think of someone loving himself/herself, a negative image comes to mind. I
picture Gastan (from Beauty and the Beast), a man who is always checking himself out in the mirror, believing there is no woman he could not win. Obviously, this is not true love and this is not what Jesus meant. But since I had a distorted idea of what healthy self love looked like, I wasn’t sure exactly what needed to change.


My Struggle with Self Love

 

"And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " ~ Matthew 22:37-39 

         I have struggled with self love, especially as a teenager. I looked into the mirror and criticized what I saw. Everyday, I gave myself negative self talk and put myself down. And I believed what I said. I began to loathe my own person. Upon examining who I was, I saw everything but beauty and goodness.

         In hating myself, I sinned against Jesus and myself. I rejected both Jesus and myself. I did not treat myself like the daughter of God that I was.

        Loving yourself is a necessity! Why else would Abba make love of ourselves and others a commandment second only to loving Him with all of our hearts?


What does a holy self love look like?

           A healthy self love is rooted in humility. Humility is the truthful acknowledgment of who we are- not more, not less. Because we are the Chosen of the Father, the sons and daughters of the King, we should live in such a way that reflects our identity. This entails respecting ourselves, as well as one another.

          One thing I have observed is that the enemy loves to confuse us into thinking self love is selfish. That taking time for yourself- in essence, taking care of yourself- is wrong because you are taking time away from serving other people. Yet even Jesus encouraged the disciples to take time to rest and be rejuvenated!

"The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves." ~ Mark 6:30-32

             Loving yourself also means being able to say no to control and manipulation and surrounding yourself with healthy relationships. Choosing to love out of freedom and not from guilt is an important part of loving yourself as well as the people around you.

             When we love ourselves as we ought, we see ourselves as priceless and we respect our own worth. And when we truly can look at ourselves and see the value of who we are, we are also better able to see the value in our brothers and sisters!

 

Jesus Heals

“Behold, I make all things new.” ~ Revelation 21:5

         It is through the redeeming grace and love of God that I am more freely able to see myself and know that I am a treasure. From Jesus, I have slowly been receiving healing for my self image, learning how to accept myself and love myself, imperfections and all. My Father has unleashed His ocean of mercy upon me! Now I see myself and know that I am beautiful and loved perfectly. Praise God for His endless mercy!

         During one of my more intense moments of healing, Jesus gave me a vision of Him holding me. He was beaming at me, pointing out different parts of my body and saying:

"This is exactly how our Father wanted you. 

He delights in how beautifully He has made you!"

        Immediately a joy swelled up inside of me. I rejoiced in the careful detail of my Beloved Father. How much tenderness and joy He must have put into creating me!

Ways to Grow in Self Love


Forgive yourself. Go to Confession and then believe you have been forgiven. Refuse to hold on to guilt and shame. Believe that because God has extended limitless mercy to you and He also expects you to do the same to yourself.

Affirm yourself and graciously accept the affirmations of others. You are good. You are beautiful. You are enough. Where there is love, there is no room for condemnation. Many times, the Lord affirms us through the words of others. Accept words of affirmation others give to you and then give God the glory.

Be patient with yourself. You fail, you make the same mistakes over and over again. Yet, I challenge you to be as patient with yourself as our Heavenly Father is with you!

Take care of yourself. Eat healthfully and exercise. Get enough sleep. Take your medicine. If you are sick, go to a doctor! If you are struggling emotionally, see a counselor! Take time to pursue your dreams.

Speak and claim the truth over your life. Abba has provided us scripture full of the truth of who we are. Speak these words over your life. Ephesians 1:5; John 1:12; Romans 6:6; Genesis 1:27; Jeremiah 1:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Peter 2:9

Look to the crucifix. Be reminded about how much you are worth! You are worth dying for. You have been ransomed through the ultimate sacrifice. Meditate on Jesus' gift of self to you.

Ask Jesus to show you what you look like through His eyes. This literally changed my life. The way our God sees us is so vastly different than how we see ourselves. We look at ourselves and see the sin, the evil, the imperfections. Jesus looks at us and sees the object of His love- His heart's desire. He wants to show you who you are and is waiting to be asked!

         Today is Good Friday. What better reminder could there be of our Lord's intimate love for us? God's love is unveiled in a unbelievable way. How much He gave for us, to be in communion with us should we choose to accept Him! In loving Jesus and walking through with Him through His passion, be reminded of how desperately He wants you to be free....Free to love Him, to love your brothers and sisters, and to love yourself.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." ~ I John 3:1-2

Why I No Longer Pray for my Future Husband

"I adjure you, Daughters of Jerusalem, 

by the gazelles and the does of the field, 

Do not awaken, or stir up love until it is ready." 

~ Song of Songs 2:7 

       What can I say- I am a hopeless romantic.

       At the age of thirteen, it brilliantly dawned on me that if I were called to motherhood, I would need a husband. And having a husband one day made my little heart anxious- anxious because it meant that I would someday have to share my life with someone devotedly forever. What if I married someone who stopped loving me at some point in our marriage? What if he wasn’t present to our children? And the thing that frightened me the most: what if he did not have a pure heart?

       I knew what I wanted someday in a husband: a strong, loving, romantic, virtuous, gentle, masculine man who would love Abba and seek Him with all of his heart. A man who would not be afraid to feel, to be alive, to be himself. And as I was planning on being his future wife someday, I took it upon myself to pray fervently for him. So at thirteen, I cut out little hearts out of paper and took an empty jar. Throughout the day, I would offer up sacrifices for the man I hoped to love in person one day. After each sacrifice, I would put one of the paper hearts in the jar. The hearts were a tangible reminder of my praying for him, thinking of him. Each heart said I love you and encouraged me in my wait for my prince. How I smiled with satisfaction as I saw the jar become more and more filled with my loving prayers!
      

       Throughout high school, I continued to pray for my future husband. Every mass was offered for him. I thought about him, imagined what he would look like. I would imagine where we would meet, the dates we would go on, the adventures we would have. I thought about how he would encourage me into holiness, how he would protect me, fight for me, do anything to win my heart. How that thrilled me- to think of myself as being desired so badly that a man would do anything to secure my love! Expectantly, I wondered at each man I met, wondering when the day would be that I would meet “the one.” Eager and impatient, I waited and waited.

        During the years of singleness, I gradually fell in love with the idea of being a mother and a wife. My heart ached- yearned for the time when I would share my heart with another. My life's purpose seemed to be on hold. When would I be able to share my heart with someone? When would I be able to turn my prayers into more "tangible" acts of love? How I longed for the day when the desires of my heart would be satisfied! When my vocation would be fulfilled!

 

      In college, I prided myself on the fact I was actively loving a man I didn't know. With incredible joy, I would share with people that I had been faithfully praying for my future spouse from such a young age. What a beautiful wife I would make some day! Surely, the man who end up with me would be one blessed hunk!

       Finally at the age of twenty, I fell in love and entered my first relationship with a wonderful man. I thought I was ready to love a man- that all my years of prayers for him had somehow prepared my heart for the suffering and selflessness. Boy, was I wrong. How humbling it was to realize that I was really an inexperienced lover. Many, many, many times I failed. Because of my own brokenness I was unable to receive love. Because of my woundedness, I was unable to share my heart. I had thought that I was so ready to give my heart- that I had so much to give. But the reality was that my heart was unable to be vulnerable. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't give my own heart because I needed the Lord to fill me with love to give. We cannot give that which we have not received.

       For two years, I struggled aimlessly to love. The center of my life was my boyfriend. I tried desperately to please him, to make him happy, to show him that my heart delighted in him. Yet, there was a noticeable disconnect between how much I loved him and how I was able to show him my love. I was stuck in a rut and I couldn't get out. 

Something had to change. 

Jesus, help me to love. Lend me Your Sacred Heart. I want to love as You love. Heal my heart so that I freely give and receive love.

"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord." ~ Jeremiah 30:17

       It became clear that I needed healing...healing that couldn't come while being in a relationship. So we broke up.

       I am convinced there is no pain greater than that of a broken heart. For weeks, it felt as if my heart were bleeding and that I was helpless to stop it. I sobbed before the Lord. I was lost in trying to understand how He could let my little heart suffer so much. If He truly knew my heart, He must know how small and fragile it was.

       Yet, our God has a funny way of answering our prayers. I prayed for a greater ability to love and He answered by allowing my heart to be broken so that He could rebuild it. I wanted a new heart, so He had to tear down the old one. Yes, He knew it would be painful, but He held my hand every step of the  way.

"....Let us exult and rejoice in you;

let us celebrate your love: it is beyond wine!

Rightly do they love you!" 

~ Song of Songs 1:4

       It was during this time that I truly fell deeply in love with Jesus. So much of my life, I had been waiting for a man to love me wholly and sacrificially. I craved a partner with whom I confide my greatest sorrows and deepest fears. Yearning for intimacy, I failed to see that my truest Lover was before me, with arms outstretched and heart gaping open to pour out His love.

       The Lord also showed me how much of my identity I placed in being a future wife and mother. Being in a relationship, I began to define myself as my boyfriend's "future wife" and the "future mother of his children." After we broke up, I realized that I had spent so much of my life defining myself in the future, not the present.

      Most importantly, I did not have a strong identity as a loved daughter of God. And until one knows securely, confidently, unshakably that he/she is a beloved of the Father, they will struggle with understanding their purpose and who they are.

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding." ~ Proverbs 3:5

       Since breaking up, I felt convicted by the Lord no longer to pray for my future husband. It surprised me when that came up in prayer one day. Why on earth would the Lord encourage me not to pray about something, especially when it concerned my vocation?

       Prayer can cause attachments. Without realizing it, all the years I prayed for my future husband I became unhealthily attached to the idea of him, the idea of loving him, being loved my him. And in many ways, it subconsciously became the center of my life and my identity was rooted in it. I needed to let go and trust the Lord would take care of my future and the formation of my husband.

       However, I still wanted him to be coated in prayer. So, I consecrated him to the Blessed Mother. She is my momma and I know she will be interceding for his holiness and purity!

       ...........................................

      I am not saying that it is wrong to pray for your future spouse. But as with anything, if you invest too much of your time and energy, something good can become something harmful. If you feel that you are praying for something that is causing you to become unhealthily attached, do not be afraid to offer up that person/intention to your Heavenly Mother. She loves praying for her children!

Total Abandonment

"You either belong wholly to the world or wholly to God."               
-Saint John Vianney 

       How dearly do you love Jesus? What would you give up for Him? How far would you go to show Him that you love Him?

       Recent life events have made me realize more than ever how little I am in control. Despite extensive precautions, I still get sick. I bare my heart and it gets broken. I try my best yet I fail. Still somehow, I have managed to hold on to my unrealistic ideals, my plans, my expectations. And when I have tried to discern God's will, what a difficult time I have had! Not because God is silent, but because I cannot let go of what I want. And I cannot let go because I cannot trust that what God has in store is what is best.

       What a hypocrite I am! I preach about God's unfailing love, His perfect plan for our lives, His endless mercy. Yet, when it comes to giving Him my vocation, my future, I have hesitated. I have been afraid. I have been afraid of surrendering my desires because I fear I will be unhappy. The image of a doting lover who desires great things for his beloved is replaced with an image of a thief who robs his victims of happiness. How far this is from the truth, yet how my heart has struggled to see past my fears and into the Sacred Heart!

"To love God as He ought to be loved, we must be detached from all temporal love. We must love nothing but Him, or if we love anything else, we must love it only for His sake."

-Saint Peter Claver

       One of my greatest prayers of late is to desire what Jesus desires- for my heart to be so united with His that they share one heartbeat. I want to desire only His plan. I want to show Him how deeply I love Him by giving Him my love through giving Him my life. Yet, desire alone is not enough. Sacrifices must be made. A true lover must be willing to give up his life for his beloved. 

       Jesus gave everything He was to us- He could have given nothing more. And because we are priceless treasures to Him, He wants to have all of us. When He looks upon us, He sees more of us than we see in ourselves. Even after recognizing the sin, the selfishness, the brokenness, He thirsts for you! 

        You see, the crucifixion is like a wedding vow. Jesus gave His total self out of love for you- for better or for worse. His vulnerability and complete gift of self are freely given; His love and commitment eternal. Tenderly he invites you into communion with Him.

The Invitation of Jesus 

       From the cross, Jesus beckons to you. His arms are spread wide to receive your embrace. Will you throw away whatever you are carrying to wrap your arms around Him and kiss the face that has suffered so much for love of you? Will you console the purest heart that has endured unfathomable rejection? Listen to Him speak to you as you stand at the foot of the cross. 

My Beloved,

How it delights my heart to have you come to me. I have been waiting patiently for you. Look at my bleeding wounds. Look into my eyes and see how it pains to me to love so deeply and yet be so rejected. My heart bleeds for love of you. How I love you, my greatest treasure! Surrender to my love. Allow yourself to be consumed with love. Abandon yourself to my love. Surrender to me all that you are and I will fill you with my Holy Spirit. I have chosen you, my beloved. You are priceless and precious to me. I love you.

..............................................

"Jesus Christ, Lord of all things! You see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am - you alone." -Saint Agatha 

       I have learned that if I desire to belong fully to the Lord, I must abandon myself completely to Him. I must entrust to Him my dreams, my burdens, my guilt, my relationships, my fears- everything I cling to. It is only when I release them that I am able to receive more of Him. Nothing you give to Jesus will be in vain. True freedom comes in surrender, in letting go. Not only does it make you free, but it is a powerful act of love.

       Jesus is the perfect example of how abandoning yourself to God is difficult, painful, and requires great trust. It empties you of everything in order to be filled with God Himself!

       So many times we choose ourselves over Jesus. Yet every time we come running back, He is waiting for us, Him arms outstretched and ready to embrace us!

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

       TO You, most sacred Heart of Jesus, I devote my life. To You I consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings. My whole being shall be employed henceforth in loving, serving, and glorifying You. Be Thou, most blessed and adorable Heart, the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the pledge of my salvation, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou my advocate at the throne of Divine Justice, and screen me from the wrath which my sins deserve.

      I trust entirely in your mercy. I place all my confidence in You. Destroy in me all that is displeasing to You. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Imprint Thyself like a seal upon my heart in order that I may never be separated from You. May I be a victim forever consecrated to your glory - ever burning with the flames of your pure love in time and for eternity. This is my whole desire - to live, in You: This shall be my happiness, to live and die as your devoted servant. Sweet Heart of Jesus, I implore that I may love You more and more. Amen.

        

The Kiss of Jesus

   “Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you." ~ Mother Teresa


       The first time I read this quote, I couldn't understand it. Suffering is purifying- yes. It leads us to the cross; it molds our character; it teaches us compassion. But experiencing "the kiss of Jesus"? Isn't that going a little too far?

       This past year has involved more suffering than all my other 21 years combined. I will not delve too deeply into the details because this post is not about me or my journey. Rather, it is about revelations given by Jesus and through the saints concerning suffering...revelations meant to encourage you in your trials, to remind you of the burning love of God for you, even in great pain, to give you a passion to suffer for and in love.

       Since February 2015, I have been horribly sick. I had to leave the school of my dreams because my health was so bad. Bedridden for a month, I had returned home, once again becoming completely dependent on my parents to provide and take care of me. But the most difficult part of the suffering was breaking up with my boyfriend of two years. My heart and my body were wrecked and there were days I honestly wished I wasn't alive. I was broken. I was bleeding. And I felt Jesus has abandoned me in the darkness.

      Because I believed Jesus had left me to suffer alone, I was too disheartened to pray. Did He not see me in pain? Did my health not matter to Him? How could He love me and yet take so much away? It was as if my life had been emptied of all the blessings and I was left with nothing but misery. Angry, feeling rejected and forgotten, I stayed in the darkness.

       Then, for a while, I accepted the strength to hope. I became filled with joy at the opportunity to enter into suffering with Jesus. Surely God was working in more ways than I could begin to imagine!

       But two weeks ago, I again fell into despair. And again, I avoided intimate time with Jesus because I felt abandoned by him. Finally, I broke out in tears of shame while driving to a doctor's appointment. Jesus, I am so sorry! I am a terrible lover. I have failed you! I have hurt you! How unfaithful I have been. I don't deserve you. I am so weak- I cannot be strong enough. I am being crushed, Jesus! Please bear the weight with me!

        Over and over again, I told Jesus I was sorry, worried that He was disappointed in me. How many times I had failed Him! And then He spoke....


       Jesus Speaks


       When Jesus spoke, there was no reprimand. No sternness. Only great love and tenderness.


"I love being your Savior."


Let those words permeate into your soul. Believe them.


       Jesus went on to reveal that although He struggles to see us fall, He loves to help us up. He loves being the one to save us, to set us free. You are not a burden to Him. Jesus loves saving you! He never tires of coming to your rescue! How His heart delights coming to the aid of one of His little ones.

                                                 .......................................


                                    

Suffering Leads us into Deeper Intimacy with Jesus


       Back to the quote from Mother Teresa about experiencing the "kiss of Jesus" in suffering.

       The most intimate relationships we have are with people with whom we have experienced the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. You know someone really loves you when they see you at your worst and love and accept you without hesitation. It is through those moments of pain that we see one another bare, broken, with everything stripped away. And what a treasure it is to see the beauty of another soul in its most vulnerable state!

       When we invite Jesus into our suffering, we allow him into our hearts in its most vulnerable state. He is the true friend, faithful lover who goes through the agony with us- fully understanding, even feeling our anguish, our pain. Through suffering, we cling to Him, completely aware of our weakness, of our inability to continue without Him. We hunger for His embrace, His consolation, His presence in our misery. We truly feel a need for Him. And when He holds us, when he tells us how precious we are to Him and how dear we are to His heart, we feel a closeness- an intimacy- with Him powerful beyond words. That closeness is like a kiss- powerful, involving an intimate act of love.

       Suffering makes us more dependent on Jesus. The experience of suffering with Him creates a powerful bond and intimate relationship. We taste of Jesus' compassion. We enter through trials with Him and we come out stronger than before we had them. There have been so many times during this period of suffering when all I have needed was for Jesus to hold me and tell me He loves me. And faithfully, He continues to be my comfort.


"If God sends you many sufferings, it is a sign that He has great plans for you and certainly wants to make you a saint." ~ St. Ignatius Loyola



       When we truly desire holiness, we learn to embrace suffering. God has answered so many of my prayers through the pain. He has made my heart more compassionate. He has taken away my "crutches" so that I have come to fully rely on Him.

       All of the saints endured suffering. Each saint and his/her capacity for suffering was different, but every one of them invited Jesus into their suffering. They saw suffering as an opportunity to grow in love, in virtue and they were able to persevere out of love for the Beloved and for the conversion of sinners. To them, suffering was an invitation to become more united with Christ and His Passion.

       I am not a saint. I cannot suffer perfectly. And I have learned to accept my weaknesses, my failures. Even though the journey has been agonizing, I have become so grateful for it! I have experienced the presence and love of Jesus more powerfully than ever before.


"Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18


       There have been many times when I have begged for Jesus to take away the pain. In tears, I have pleaded for an end. In His mercy, Jesus assures me that it will not last forever and that it will be over soon. But He also shows me that this is a time of great purification. He is answering prayers through this affliction; I am growing in virtue and in trust. Petitions are being granted through my intercession.


       Thank Jesus for your suffering. This is your path to sanctity! This is the crucifixion that will lead you into the resurrection! This is your calling to love! Right now, Jesus is loving you, calling you to Him, beckoning you into deeper holiness!

     I still have good days and bad days. I laugh. I cry. But through it all, I trust. I know and I believe our God is a God who loves His children and gives them good gifts. Sometimes we just don't recognize the blessings in the gifts because they are not what we expect.


       Brothers and sisters, know of my prayers for you- for grace, openness to the Holy Spirit, submissiveness to the will of our Heavenly Father. May Jesus bless and keep you and send His holy angels to protect you! May our Blessed Mother intercede for you and lead you ever deeper into the love of her Son!


Inspiring Quotes of the Saints on Suffering

"In the same way that a powerful medicine cures an illness, so illness itself is a medicine to cure passion. And there is much profit of soul in bearing illness quietly and giving thanks to God." - St. Amma Syncletice

"If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men." - St. Rose of Lima

"Trials and tribulations offer us a chance to make reparation for our past faults and sins. On such occasions the Lord comes to us like a physician to heal the wounds left by our sins. Tribulation is the divine medicine." -St. Augustine of Hippo

"We are at Jesus' disposal. If he wants you to be sick in bed, if he wants you to proclaim His work in the street, if he wants you to clean the toilets all day, that's all right, everything is all right. We must say, 'I belong to you. You can do whatever you like.' And this ..is our strength, and this is the joy of the Lord." -
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it." - Blessed Titus Brandsma

"Jesus who cannot suffer long to keep you in affliction will come to relieve and comfort you by infusing fresh courage into your soul." - St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

"The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of trial and in the exaltation after the combat." - St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina