A Deacon greets parishioners outside St. Michael's Cathedral with evident joy.
Would that mortal men might know how wonderful is divine grace, how beautiful, how precious; what riches are hidden therein, what treasures, what joys, what delights. If they but knew, surely they would direct their energy with all care and diligence to procuring sufferings and afflictions for themselves. Instead of good fortune all men everywhere would seek out troubles, illness and suffering that they might obtain the inestimable treasure of grace...No one would complain about the cross or about hardships coming seemingly by chance upon him, if he realized in what balance they are weighed before being distributed to men.
– St. Rose of Lima
Spake the early deacon and the first Martyr for the Resurrection, "ecce video caelos apertos et Filium hominis a dextris stantem Dei".
ReplyDeleteIf that's not cause for joy, what is?