From
the writings of Saint Rose of Lima, virgin
Let us know the love of Christ
which surpasses all understanding
Our Lord and Saviour lifted up
his voice and said with incomparable majesty: “Let all men know that
grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of
afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know
that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Let men take
care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise,
and without the cross they can find no road to climb to
heaven.”
 When
I heard these words, a strong force came upon me and seemed to place me in
the middle of a street, so that I might say in a loud voice to people of
every age, sex and status: “Hear, O people; hear, O nations. I am warning
you about the commandment of Christ by using words that came from his own
lips: We cannot obtain grace unless we suffer afflictions. We must heap trouble
upon trouble to attain a deep participation in the divine nature, the glory
of the sons of God and perfect happiness of soul.”
That same force strongly urged
me to proclaim the beauty of divine grace. It pressed me so that my breath
came slow and forced me to sweat and pant. I felt as if my soul could no
longer be kept in the prison of the body, but that it had burst its chains
and was free and alone and was going very swiftly through the whole world
saying:
“If only mortals would learn
how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious.
How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! Without
doubt they would devote all their care and concern to winning for themselves
pains and afflictions. All men throughout the world would seek trouble,
infirmities and torments, instead of good fortune, in order to attain the
unfathomable treasure of grace. This is the reward and the final gain of
patience. No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may
happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed
when they are distributed to men.”
—Saint Rose of Lima, virgin
Office of Readings, 23 August
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