“We need to suffer patiently, not only in the burden of being ill, but of being ill with the particular illness that God wants for us, among the people that He wants us to be with, and with the discomforts that He permits us to experience.” — Saint Francis de Sales
I think Saint Francis de Sales’s words are especially helpful for us during this season of Lent and beyond.
Sometimes we are faced with crosses. Sometimes that’s being sick. During Lent, there are more crosses—the ones we choose and the ones we don’t.
But the cross itself is not limited to one thing.
As Saint Francis points out, it’s not just about suffering patiently. It’s about suffering patiently in the way that God wants, with the people that God wants.
This is where I think Lent can be tricky for us to plan from the beginning.
We can be so subjective. So narrow-minded. We choose what sacrifices we make.
We say, “I’ll give up this. I’ll fast on these days. I’ll pray at this time.”
But when our Lord asks us to accept a sacrifice of His choosing—that’s different.
That’s Saint Francis’s point: it’s not just the sacrifice itself. It’s the conditions of it.
The time. The place. Who you’re with. All of those things factor into what we’re offering our Lord.
The particularity matters. Suffering this way. With these people. In these circumstances.
Because that’s when we start accepting the Lent God is actually giving us.
Let us pray.
Lord, when our plans get disrupted, help us see Your plan unfolding. Help us to open our hearts to Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Keep fighting the good fight. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
