Obviously to me (nowadays anyway!!) we must make the choice which cannot be avoided nor evaded to either accept the the truth or to live, to be, lies. A choice we must make again and again, even in Purgatory. Really an amazing mercy.
A profound and astute observation. Some are given more difficult trials than others, like Job. As you note, without those trials, we sometimes drift away from God. And yet, one ponders this concept. Why are some given more challenging trials than others? In our parish, the young couples are multiplying like rabbits and we just adore these babies. One couple last November, gave birth to their first child - a boy! The grandmother is a very devout woman, well respected and honored in our parish community.
Shortly after the birth of this young couple's son, his name appeared on the list of sick parishioners and we were all asked to pray for him. We did - out of love and respect for this couple and the grandmother, but most especially as a "new" member of our small congregation. As the weeks went by, we learned snippits about his condition. He was born with undetected birth defects and the doctors gave him little hope for survival. He was immediately baptized and chrismated prior to his first surgical procedure. We prayed harder. He rebounded and the young couple brought him to Church. We 'oohed and aahed' over him. I still recall the baby looking intensely up at me, almost as if he were scrutinizing me :-). Over the next several weeks, he was rushed back to the hospital with more 'unidentified' birth defects. It was now determined that he required open heart surgery. The community prayed for "our" baby. Following surgery, he remained in the hospital for another 4 months. This time, he did not rebound. The doctors offered the young couple one final hope. They rushed him to Boston Children's Hospital where he underwent 7 hours of surgery. We prayed that much harder for this beautiful little boy.
In July, a team of medical experts sat down with the young parents to explain that ALL modern day medical science could offer had been done, and that their son would never recuperate.
The grandmother called our pastor. He never hesitated but immediately drove 4 1/2 hours to Boston to administer the Last Rites and counsel the family. Exactly 7 months to the day he was born, the baby was placed in the loving embrace of his mother, surrounded by her family and pastor. The last tube was removed and he died peacefully in her arms.
At his funeral, ALL of the medical professionals who attended to him both here in Albany and in Boston, attended, stepped forward and embraced this young couple. Their tears mingled.
The parish community responded with weekly liturgies for their son. Yet, we are left to ponder why "this" couple should be singled out from all the others. Only God, in His great mercy, knows the answer. Both parents are extremely devout and have weathered this storm, with much support from their faith community.
Growing up, I recall my great grandmother saying that God never gives us anything more than we can handle. It is "these" trials that either draw us closer to God or send us packing. Without faith, we cannot navigate these events. That, ultimately, is the bottom line. I pray that God will reward this young couple with a bountiful crop of children. Of one thing we are all certain; their first child will be forever remembered by the entire faith community.