through pain...

I just arrived from a whole-day trip. I went to the USCIS office located in Albuquerque with my monkbrother Dom Marcus who's assigned as the monastery's in-charge of immigration issues and problems. So, this morning, while I was hurriedly preparing myself for our 7:30Am departure and while I was briskly polishing my shoes with such pressure, I suddenly got hooked of wanting to talk to my shoes and force them to talk back to me.

If only my shoes could talk back, perhaps they would say, "Why are you doing this to me? It is very painful." As I kept on brushing, I could only imagine how my shoes would complain of pain and would certainly say, "Ouch, ouch, ouchh." Then I guess I should have explained to my shoes, "I have to brush you so that you will be clean and shiny. If I do not brush you, you will look dirty and awful. It is by allowing yourselves to be brushed, that you can allow your luster to come out."

The Lord speaks along the same line. He speaks about pain. He speaks about joy. It is also the same in the Acts 18: 12-16. Paul faced the pro-consul of Corinth and was accused unjustly. But the fear, apprehension and anxiety of Paul before the civil court disapperaed because the pro-consul dismissed his case.

Name me one saint who did not have to face pain in his/her life. Name me one person who discovered real happiness without having the courage to endure and overcome pain. Name me one person who gained success without having to undergo trials. None.

Pain is a reality in our lives. Sometimes, we feel the Lord doesn't see us when we are in pain. But the Lord assures us that even if sometimes we do not see Him, He sees us when we are carrying our pain. And the Lord who sees us carrying our pain courageously and faithfully is the same Lord who turns our pains into joy.
Name me one happy, sucessfull life that never faced pain. You will not be able to do that because the Lord's promise is "Glory through pain is joy in pain."

Have a blessed day to all of us...