Friday, March 30, 2007

SUFFERING

Life is one suffering after another, and I think the fortunate people in this world are those who have chosen the Cross for their lot, for love of Him. There is no wood like that of the Cross for kindling the fire of love in the soul. And Jesus has such need of being loved and finding in this world, where He is so greatly offended, souls entirely surrendered to His good pleasure.
....The sign by which we know that God is in us and that we are possessed by His love is that we receive not only patiently but gratefully whatever hurts us makes us suffer. Accept every trial, every vexation, every unpleasantness that happens in the light that radiates from the Cross. That is the way to please God and advance in the way of love.
You too are, so to speak, another humanity for Him in which you allow Him to suffer, as it were, as extension of His Passion: for your sufferings are truly supernatural. How many souls you will be able to save in this way! You practise the apostolate of suffering as well as that of action and I think the former is sure to draw many graces on the latter. The Cross is the patrimony of Carmel. The Master is treating you as His bride; He is giving you a share in His Cross. Suffering is something so great and so divine! It seems to me that if the Blessed in heaven could envy us anything, it would be that treasure. And it is such a powerful lever on the Heart of God! Besides, don't you find it a joy to have something to give to Him whom one loves?....let us lift the veil and follow Him who has disappeared high up into the regions of peace and light where suffering is transformed into love.