Thoughts from our Chaplain - Not in vain!

I have just been reading (in Dutch) sections of a letter between Teresa of Avila and her friend Luisa de la Cerda. It is in the present issue of “Karmelimpuls”. What especially struck me was the way she wrote about suffering. 

She tells her friend that relationships in this world are so different: “Those, who could help you, won’t do it and I, who wants to assist you, can’t do it”. She adds that “we mortals have to endure those and even worse situations” Try not to worry. Think of how much depends on your health. These days mine has been very bad. It would have been even worse, if I, on your insistence, had not received the good care in your home.” She acknowledges that she needed this insistence, because the scorching heat of the sun had made her pain so much worse. By her arrival in Toledo, Teresa immediately had to undergo two blood-lettings, and was not able to move or turn in bed because of the pain in her shoulders and neck.

This weekend, the parish is celebrating our annual Parish Day to commemorate Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We know that there was much suffering in Our Lady's life too. She offered them up, together with her Son, to the Father, and for the salvation of all.

Like Our Lady and Teresa, our sufferings don’t have to be in vain. That thought helps us to bear them more easily.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.