Two Directions

Oense sent this out this morning, from Richard Rohr, who was on CBC radio this past weekend. Here is "the link to hear Rohr from Sunday's broadcast on "The Tapestry."

"Of course, suffering can lead us in either of two directions. It can make us very bitter and shut us down. Or it can make us wise, compassionate and utterly open; either because our heart has been softened, or perhaps because suffering makes us feel like we have nothing more to lose. It often takes us to the edge of our inner resources where we “fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31), even against our will. We must all pray for the grace of this second path of softening and opening. My personal opinion is that this is the very meaning of the phrase “deliver us from evil” in the Our Father (Lord’s Prayer). We aren’t asking to avoid suffering. It is as if we pray, “When the big trials come, God, hold onto me, and don’t let me turn bitter or blaming”—an evil that leads to so many other evils.