Divine generosity invites all to this blessed feast, but suffering grabs the infirm by their cloak and makes them enter by force.

And so it says in the parable that our Lord gives in the Gospel about that man who prepared a great feast and invited many guests, and when it was time to eat, he sent out his servant to inform them that everything was ready.

Being occupied with various tasks, or rather with nonsense, they excused themselves from coming; and so the indignant host told his servant, “Go out then to the plazas and markets. Make all the infirm, lame, and weak people that you find come and fill up my house.”

And he did not say, “Tell them to come,” like with the first guests, but rather, “Make them come.”

And so it seems that the infirm are brought by force to the magnificent feast of eternal health, because their suffering grabs them by the cloak and makes them enter through the door of good works; for if we do not enter through that door, we will not be able to reach the greatest heights of honor, which is to be seated at the table of divine generosity.

O blessed convent of the infirm! Of them, I say, who enter willingly where suffering brings them by force, and do not choose to remain in the street. Therefore if suffering afflicts us...READ MORE