Saint Andrew Dung Lac and Companions: Divine consolation, peace, and the absence of suffering can sometimes be more difficult to bear that their opposites. As monks, we have grown so accustomed to associate virtue and following Christ with self-denial, deprivation, and hardship, that comfort, ease, and relaxation are suspect. Thus, wars, insurrections, famines, and earthquakes are more readily associated with Christ’s return that their opposites. So too, the faith of the martyrs (even unto death) is considered the epitome of faith. However, faith is also manifest in the one able to trustingly receive and rejoice in consolation, peace, and blessing. This is to affirm that there is a significant difference between detachment from times of peace and spiritual consolation, and simply not trusting these to endure because God is going to cruelly snatch these away from us and plunge us back into suffering. True faith is thus faith that trusts God’s goodness in the midst of suffering, but also in the midst of consolation, peace, and joy.
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