"So also you now indeed have sorrow" (John 16:22)

Our Lord makes His disciples more and more aware of the problem of suffering. We already learned about it a lot. Whenever we meditate on God's ways we always see them as very purposeful. For what is our end on earth? The old Tobias gives the answer: "(we) look for that life which God will give to those that never change their faith from him". (Tobias 2:18). How little we think about eternal life. In contrary, engaged in pursuing excitements of temporal life, it seems we would love to spend eternal life here rather than in heaven. We forget about Apostle's words: "For we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come". (Heb 13:14). But God, the best Father, wants us to go to Heaven. He sends us then miseries and sufferings to make us tired of life on earth and to start longing for Heaven, where our true homeland is. Lord's ways are truely purposeful although sometimes painful and hard to poor sinners, for Eternal God has always eternal ends on mind. Mother complains and weep over death of her youngest and most beloved child. But God took her son so early to prevent him to go astray later in life. How Good and Merciful is God! War took away endless number of young men. What a waste, it should not have happened, one could say. But in God's plans it was good, for those who lost their lives during war are now happy singing songs of praise and adoration in Heaven, war opened the Heaven to them. For before their death some converted to better lives, reflected on their sinful ways and repented! Praised be the Name of the Lord! Let us think how many atheists, mistaken and irreligious people came to their senses during serious illness in hospital. They reflected, repented, converted and died a good death there! Again and again we can see that God's ways are not like ours. They are incomprehensible to us but are always very purposeful. How foolish and pointless is then to fret about suffering, to murmur against God's Providence. Be patient and balanced in suffering and remember: "For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory". (2 Cor 4:17)