Make a Good Choice


Live in peace and inner tranquility.

Show this by acting without rush

or too great eagerness.

Suffer what you have to suffer peacefully,

In perfect tranquility of spirit in God,

And loving acceptance of all

That his holy will ordains.

 Maxim of Love 7:1
Jean-Pierre Medaille, SJ

Sharing our stories... 

I have often wondered why some people seem to have to suffer more than others. What has puzzled me even more is why some of us make it into the light and others don’t. I have been unable to determine why that is & I have come to accept that this may simply be a mystery that I will never understand.

 

What has become clear to me however is that despite our suffering we always have choices.

 

It is natural and human to experience Despair, Fear, Anger, Bitterness and Resentment when faced with the difficult challenges that are apt to come our way at some time or other in our lives. Life can be difficult when we are confronted with Illness, Betrayal, Death, Abuse, Unemployment , Poverty, Injustice, Broken Relationships etc. which is all part of the human condition.  It only seems inevitable that we will occasionally lose our way.

 

It is our choice however, whether we choose to allow any of these events or circumstances to corrupt us or not. In other words we all reach a point where we can chose to remain in the dark or we can chose to walk towards the light.

 

I understand through personal experience that it requires effort and very conscious decision- making to move in the direction that God would want for us.  It often seems so much easier to remain in doubt, bitterness and despair and forget that God is walking with us even when we are struggling and suffering.

 

It has truly taken me a lifetime to learn to “Live in peace and inner tranquility” and to trust in God through all of the life challenges that come my way.  Like most everyone, I may not like or appreciate these challenges but I do find comfort in the “loving acceptance of all that his holy will ordains.” 

 

I am still learning and struggling however, on how to “Suffer what you have to suffer peacefully”. I wish I could boast of being able to suffer peacefully but I must admit that I have far from mastered that part of the Maxim. Suffering on any level is difficult.  I personally find that often it is our inability to help those we love that is the worst kind of suffering. 

-Diane Vezina
Ottawa ON

Comments  

#1 arletteh 2014-06-08 14:52
Thank you, Diane! I do think, also that to see our loved ones suffer and know we cannot take it away, is the greatest suffering. What I find a consolation is to pray to Our Lady and see her standing at the foot of the cross of her beloved son. The solidarity helps ,Arlette Hermans

You must LOGIN to add a comment.