• Gen. 45:5-8: It was not you who sent me here, but God...

• Ex. 2:5-10: When the child grew older she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son.

• Ps. 38: All my longings lie open before you...

• Ps. 71: From birth I relied on you..

• Is. 50:6-10: I offered my back to those who beat me...

• 2 Sam. 16:5-14: Let him curse on, for the Lord has told him to do...

• Lk. 22:39-46: Father, if you are willing take this cup from me, yet not my will

• Rom. 7:14-24: What a wretched man I am...

• Heb. 10:5-10: Here I am , I have come to do your will.

Suffering in fact, is always a trial - at times a very hard one - to which humanity is subjected. The gospel paradox of weakness and strength often speaks to us from the pages of the letters of saint Paul a paradox particularly experienced by the Apostle himself and together with him experienced by all who share Christ's sufferings. Paul writes in the Second letter to the Corinthians: "I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." In the Second Letter to Timothy we read: "And therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed." And in the Letter to the Philippians he will even say: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me." (John Paul II, Salvifici Doloris, Apostolic Letter on the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering, 1984,23).

Resignation (deference) means that we prefer the will of God to all else, but it does not cease to love many other things besides the will of God. Holy indifference is higher than resignation (deference) because it loves nothing except for the love of God's will. Nothing touches the indifferent heart in the presence of the will of God. (Treatise on the Love of God, Book IX, Chapter 4).

But you are unable, you tell me, to fix your mind on the pain Our Lord suffered for you while you yourself are in the grip of pain. Well, my dear daughter, nor is it necessary that you should; just lift up your heart to your Saviour quite simply as often as you can and make these acts: firstly, accept the pain from his hand as if you yourself saw him laying and putting it upon your head; secondly, offer to suffer even more; thirdly, beg him by the merit of his torments to accept your little ailments in union with the great pain he suffered on the cross; fourthly, assure him that you not only want to suffer but even love and cherish these afflictions as coming from such a kind and gentle hand; fifthly invoke the martyrs and the many men and women who served God and who now feel great joy in heaven because they were sorely tried in this world. (Selected Letters, p. 198).

Francis drafted his protestation: Prostrate at the feet of Saints Augustine and Thomas, I am ready to forgo everything to know Him who is the wisdom of the Father, Christ crucified. In fact, I do not doubt that the things I have written are true because I do not see anything that can create a reasonable doubt on their truth. All the same I do not see everything and this mystery is so deep and too dazzling to be able to be beheld by my little owl eyes. So, if in the course of time the opposite appears true which I think would never happen - and moreover, if I know myself condemned (let it not happen, Lord Jesus) by this will which the Thomists place in God so that God may show His justice, I will be stunned, then I shall raise my eyes to the Supreme Judge and willingly say with the Psalmist, "Will not my soul be submissive to God? Amen, Father, because it seems good to you, may your will be done. In the bitterness of my heart, I would say this so many times till God changing my life and sentence answers me: Have confidence, my son, I do not wish the death of the sinner, but rather he be converted and live." (Formative Biography, p. 58)