Blessed Dina Bélanger (1897–1929), a Canadian stigmatic, chose as her motto in life, “To suffer joyfully.” Later, when she joined religious life (the Congregation of the Religous Women of Jesus-Mary), she changed her personal motto; it became, “To suffer with love.”

We probably need to do both.

Suffering and sadness must be changed into joy, or at least a greater, heavenly joy must be found amidst the personal and social sadnesses of this world.

At the same time, none of that is possible without love. We cannot force joy into the situation. The joy must come from love.