Philippians 3:8-11

Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his suffering, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

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Commenting on the mystery of being united with Christ in his suffering, Chiara Lubich wrote, "Among all the moments of the day, prefer the painful ones especially the inner feeling of being rejected and forsaken because in these Jesus Crucified and forsaken marries the soul...This preference, a matter of the will at first, very soon becomes felt, so that throwing ourselves into a sea of suffering we discover ourselves in a sea of love, of complete joy... And the soul feels itself refilled with the Holy Spirit who is joy, peace, (and) serenity."

From Jesus The Heart of His Message: Unity and Jesus Forsaken, by Chiara Lubich

Artwork by Fr. DeWit, Photo by Fr. Augustine Foley