The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-02-10


fering that is deeply mysterious; we
do not understand. Yet we have a
dim sense that it ought to do us good,
that we cannot rise to any great
height without it. The worst that we
can say of person is that he or she
Is callous, unfeeling; when that con-
dition is reached we know that there
Is little hope. When the body has
passed beyond sensation we know
that the last stage has come; the alb
sence of pain may be the most fatal
of symptoms. So it is with the soul
When person is lost to all sense
of shame, to all feeling of having done
wrong, we know that his condition is
critical When the loss or the afflic-
ton of near friend causes no suffer
ing, We know that the person who thus
lacks feeling has become utterly heart
less and selfish.
Just as the body learns to avoid in
jury by the pain that has been caused
| by former errors, so the soul is warned
against self-injury by the pain that
any error causes. No person is
thoroughly bad and hopeless of recov-
cry so long as he remains unhappy;
the suffering he endures proves that
there is still life and possibility of
recuperation in his soul. Many persons
have been rescued from a condition
of wrongdoing that seemed past
remedy by the misery they have suf-
fered; so great has been the pain that
at last they have revolted against it
and resolved to throw Off the tyranny,
welcoming the lesser discomforts and
difficulties as relief from the greater.
When Jean Vatican in Victor Hugo's
great novel gives himself up to justice
in place of the innocent man who is
being convicted he does so through
reason, benevolent motive, the welfare
of others; all seem against his action,
because he knows that the pain he will
suffer from his return to captivity will
be as nothing compared with the pain
of remaining safe and silent. In hate
full and degrading confinement there
might yet be peace; there could be no
peace for the sensitive soul which
knows it has committed wrong. This
character, Vatican, one of he noblest
In fiction, is a grand specimen of a
spirit tutored to the finest ends by an
almost lifelong schooling of suffering
But, besides the pain that our
wrongdoing causes US, there is the
! sorrow that comes to us in different
fashion through those who are dear
| By reason of our affections we suffer
very deeply, though the pain is alto
gether unlike that which is brought by
sin. 1t is more difficult here to see
the educative nature Of suffering; it
seems sometimes as though we are
being gratuitously and purposely
tormented. Jealousy, selfish claims on
others that cannot be satisfied, often
cause an anguish that should school
us to wiser condition; but in spite
of the perils of excess, the pains Of
our affections are condition of hap
piness compared with the untroubled
state of those who care for nobody.
Here, again, though there may east
ly be a morbid and distorted sensi-
tiveness, the feeling of pain is in some
measure a sign of health; it proves
that we have the power of loving.
Without suffering there can hardly be
a great love. It comes when the be-
loved one suffers; it comes from sep
aration; it comes from misunderstand-
ings and quarrels. 1t comes also
through death, and we have indeed to
reach transcendental plane, we have
to get among the stars, before We
realize that such sorrow as this has
it's benefcent aspect. Of that grief let
there be silence But if it renders us
more tender and kind to those who are
left, it's lesson has not been wholly
lost, some brightness enlightens it's
mystical shadow.
If we are better to the living and,
therefore, better to ourselves, because
somewhere in the graveyard lies one
who was inexpressibly dear, there has
been at least some touch of benefit
from the sorrow. There may seem
to be an excess of pain in this life;
pessimists tell us so, and sometimes
we think they are right. But good
deal of the bodily pain is the result
of physical errors; good deal of the
moral pain is the result of moral
errors. Some we dare not attempt to
explain; but wherever possible let us
read teachings of mercy and benef-
icence