I’ve long thought that God has a plan. For just as long, I’ve also thought He has a sense of humor. I’ve been in love with a document called “Salvifici Doloris” (“On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering”) for about twenty years. It was written in 1984 by St. John Paul II. There are many great points in the document, but one consistent theme is that suffering can be used to help us grow deeper in relationship with our Lord, coming to know Him better through our own trials.
I was in Jefferson City, Missouri, on April 20th for the Men of Signum Crucis’s “Heart of a Hero” Men’s Conference. Providentially, and humorously, I gave a talk rooted in “Salvifici Doloris” encouraging the men not to waste the little sufferings in their lives, but to use them as training for the bigger sufferings that may come. Little did I know that I would end up in the hospital just a few days later. After much reflection, I’ve decided to share the talk on my YouTube channel.