Mystical City of God - The Conception - Bk2 - Ch 16 - The Death of St. Joachim and the Merit of Suffering

Mystical City of God

As she returns to the happenings at the Temple in Jerusalem, the Venerable Sister Mary of Jesus of Ágreda describes the death of St. Joachim, six months after the Virgin Mary entered the Temple. The Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us about the merit of suffering saying, "My daughter, renovate many times in the secret of your heart your esteem for the blessing of tribulations, which the hidden providence of God dispenses for the justification of mortals. These are the judgments justified in themselves (Psalm 18:10-11) and more valuable than precious stones and gold, sweeter than the honeycomb, to those who know how to hold them in proper esteem. I wish you to remember, my beloved, that to suffer and to be afflicted with or without one’s fault is a benefit of which one cannot be worthy without special and great mercy of the Almighty; moreover to be allowed to suffer for one’s sins, is not only a mercy, but is demanded by justice. Behold, however, the great insanity of the children of Adam nowadays in desiring and seeking after compensations, benefits, and favors agreeable to their senses, and in sleeplessly striving to avert from themselves, that which is painful or includes any hardship or trouble."