"Go I am sending you like lambs among wolves" (Lk. 10:3). How many of us have started our spiritual journey or discipleship with a self created illusion of a paradise here and now with Christ. We tell ourselves that we have seen a great light and from now on we are going to walk through a rose garden. But as we journey on, we find this is far from true. We may reach stretches where we find ourselves truly abandoned and alone and there may even be people who do us great harm (2 Tim. 4:14-16). In those moments we would rather die but "The Lord stayed with me and gave me strength . . . " (2 Tim. 4:17). Yes, in those stretches we may find ourselves with a pain so unbearable it almost sent us to death, but then pain is also the greatest iconoclast of illusions, an instrument to freedom. It makes us see the truth and the truth sets us free. We realise that Eden is a thing of the past and it is wise not to waste our energy and time looking for this lost paradise. Rather, let us be courageous knowing that He is always with us and walk with Him towards the New Jerusalem.

For those of us who have survived through the dark nights we look back and realise that all that have happened were necessary to stop us from being nache about the reality of evil in this world. It also purifies our hearts to love and to trust God alone and prepares us for the feast of favours God has in store for the faithful ones.