John of the Cross: suffering

Monday, December 14, 2020
    Feast of John of the Cross, Mystic, Poet, Teacher, 1591
Meditation:
    I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
    —Philippians 3:10-12 (NIV)
Quotation:
    O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God is suffering, and how much it helps in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but you would rather look upon it as a great happiness to bear the Cross of the Lord.
    ... St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), The Complete Works of Saint John of the Cross, v. III, Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1935, p. 154 (see the book)
    See also Phil. 3:10-12; 1:29-30; Col. 1:24; Jas. 5:10-11; 1 Pet. 4:13-14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have sanctified my suffering. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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