Monday Musings - Are You Willing To Rejoice In Your Suffering?

What follows is the sound but difficult advice Jesus offered St. Catherine of Siena. She in turn shares His wisdom with all who seek to serve Him and to spend eternity in His loving embrace:

(Images Source: Wikimedia Commons)

"Let every soul rejoice who suffers many troubles, because such is the road that leads to this delightfully glorious state. I have told you before that you reach perfection through knowledge and contempt of yourself and knowledge of My goodness.

And at no time does the soul know herself so well, if I am within her, as when she is most beleaguered. Why? I will tell you. She knows herself well when she finds herself besieged and can neither free herself nor resist being captured. Yes, she can resist with her will to the point of not giving her consent, but that is all. Then she can come to know that [of herself] she is nothing. For if she were anything at all of herself, she would be able to get rid of what she did not want.

So in this way she is humbled in true self-knowledge, and in the light of holy faith she runs to me, God eternal. For by my kindness she was able to maintain her good and holy will steadfast when she was sorely besieged, so that she did not imitate the wretched things that were vexing her.

You have good reason, then, to take comfort in the teaching of the gentle loving Word, my only-begotten Son, in times of great trouble, suffering, and adversity, and when you are tempted by people or the devil. For these things strengthen your virtue and bring you to great perfection."