Suffering

One ounce of patient suffering is worth far more than a pound of action.

The greatest mystery of life is that satisfaction is felt not by those who take and make demands but by those who give and make sacrifices. In them alone the energy of life does not fail, and this is precisely what is meant by creativity. There are three ways that prepare us for life’s trials. One is the Spartan way that says, “I have strength within me to do it, I am the captain of my soul. With courage and will that is mine, I will be the master when the struggle comes.”Another way is in the spirit of Socrates, who affirmed that we have minds, reason and judgment to evaluate   and help us to cope with the enigmas and struggles of life. 

The Christian way is the third approach. It doesn’t exclude the first two, but it adds, “You don’t begin with yourself, your will, or your reason. You begin with God, who is the beginning and the end. When your strength grows weak and your reason fails you, faith in the Creator gives you the power to  overcome all things” .We have in life many troubles, and troubles are of many kinds.  Following are the Seven Mischievous Misses who are responsible for most of our troubles. Miss Information, Miss Quotation, Miss Representation, Miss Interpretation, Miss Construction Miss Conception, and Miss Understanding. 

A legend says that a man found his cross too heavy and beyond his strength. He prayed to  the   Lord to  relieve him of it. The Lord, after much prayers, agreed, led the man to  a large room where there were many crosses, and invited him to  choose one less heavy. He went several times round the room but could not find a cross that could please him: One was too heavy, another too light, a third too small. Finally he picked up one somewhat satisfactory.

“Do you like it?” asked the Lord.

“Yes, it seems more fitting than all the crosses I tried”. 

Then the Lord said, “Well, that was the cross you yourself laid down when you entered the room.”

Sr (Dr) Lilly Thokkanattu SJL