The Cross, the Diamond and the Joy that is found in Jesus !

The integral part of our spirituality is carrying the cross with Christ. The Cross or sacrifice will always be part of our life with Jesus.

Most pain, is not caused by our relationship with God. Frequently, our troubles are of our own making, or are just part of ordinary living: The pain of loss, the pain of illness, the pain of depression, the emotional pain that comes from so many unfullfilled needs. These kinds of pains are not due to commitment to God, but are just part of life.

The comforting phenomenon, however, is the fact that they can all be incorporated into our life with God and can facilitate an even greater intimacy with Jesus, because it allows us to share with Him all these hurts and anxieties, and find in His friendship the comfort and guidance we need.

Nothing that happens in our lives is wasted energy. God in some way will find a way to put things to good use sometime, somewhere.

When you read the lives of the saints, there is hardly one who did not suffer intensely in his or her life.

I like to think of a piece of coal and a diamond in this regard. Both are made of carbon. One is worthless, the other is priceless, even though they are both made of the same material. The difference is that a diamond is a piece of coal that has been subjected to the intense heat and pressures of the earth until all the impurities have been driven out of it. It then becomes a diamond, and priceless. You might say that a diamond is a piece of coal that has suffered.

Even though the cross is essential to the development of true spirituality, it does not hang over the life of Jesus and should never cast a pall over the life of His followers. Joy will always be the predominant spirit of Jesus´approach to our life with God. Jesus was above all else a happy person, and a person remarkably free, free from the grip of material things, free from unhealthy attachments to people, free from obsessive hang-ups and neurotic needs.

It is a pleasure to watch Jesus move so easily through life, even with His knowing the troubles were always impending. He never allowed Himself to be obsessed with worry or with a sense of doom. Problems He handed over to His Father, as if that was His business. He just did what He knew He had to do each day. In living this way He was able to manifest a remarkable detachment and continually radiate a spirit of joy.

- Joseph Girzone, "Never alone - A personal way to God"