The Cure of Ars (St. John Mary Vianney) Shows How You Can Benefit From Your Suffering

by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
Le Curé d'Ars offrant la nouvelle église à sainte Philomène
The book The Spirit of the Cure of Ars by Fr. Alfred Monnin contains the catechism classes, homilies and conversations of Saint John Vianney. One passage speaks about how to see suffering as a privilege. The Cure of Ars says:
“Some people do not love God or pray to Him, and yet they prosper. When this happens, it is a bad sign. It means these people did a few good things amid many bad things. God rewards these small good deeds in this life. Sometimes, we say that God punishes those He loves. However, this statement is not always true. For those whom God loves, trials are not punishments; they are graces.”
Suffering as a Means of Approaching God
This passage summarizes the great principle of Catholic doctrine that suffering is an indispensable means of approaching God. It is indispensable for two reasons.
The first is because God wants us, for the good of our souls, to complete that small bit of …More