God sometimes sends joy in the midst of trials. He has often done so for martyrs: for Saint Stephen, Saint Polycarp, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Blandina, Saint Perpetua. And we must firmly believe that He will perform that miracle for us on the day when our time comes to shed our blood for Him. However, very often He allows us to tear our hearts on the thorns that we have within us. At that time, there is darkness in our hearts and around us. We doubt ourselves. We doubt that He could love such miserable beings as we are. And perhaps it is precisely then that He looks at us with the greatest love, because in our trials He sees the resemblance to the suffering of His Son and the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Sorrows.
(Cardinal Charles Journet /1891–1975/, correspondence)
