For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. – Romans 8:29-30 On a certain occasion when St. Francis was suffering extraordinary physical pain, one of his religious brothers, meaning to sympathize with him, said in his simplicity, “My father, pray to God that He treat you a little more gently, for His hand seems heavy upon you just now.” Hearing this, St. Francis strongly resented the unhappy remark of his well-meaning brother, saying, “My good brother, did I not know that what you have just said was spoken in all simplicity, without realizing the implication of your words, I should never see you again because of your rashness in passing judgment on the dispositions of Divine Providence.” Whereupon, weak and wasted as he was by his illness, St. Francis got out of bed, knelt down, kissed the floor and prayed thus, “Lord, I thank Thee for the sufferings Thou art sending me. Send me more, if it be Thy good pleasure. My pleasure is that You afflict me and spare me not, for the fulfillment of Thy holy will is the greatest consolation of my life.” - St. Bonaventure
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 06:47:20 +0000
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