WHEN GOOD PEOPLE HURT US

BEE STINGS – Reflection for January 19

We suffer at the hands of the wicked; we are persecuted and mistreated by enemies, by those who hate our faith. It is truly painful, but bearable, and the thought that we can expect nothing more from them easily leads us to resignation. Nothing good can be expected from the enemies of Christ and His Holy Catholic Religion.

Was not our Lord full of reproach from His enemies? And can a disciple be better than the Master?

There is, however, one cross that, being heavier than many others, is unavoidable: “It is the suffering that comes to us from good people.”

There are so many misunderstandings, so many unfounded suspicions, with fatal results, in certain circumstances of life! Saint Francis de Sales calls this suffering bee stings. Can one doubt the goodness of bees?  They give us honey, wax, they work so hard for us! There are many good and generous people like bees, who sometimes hurt us, wound us, and that hurts. Perhaps with good intentions, out of bitter jealousy, prejudice, or any other reason. Let us also embrace this cross, which is of gold!

“To be despised and accused by bad people,” the mellifluous Doctor Saint Francis de Sales tells us in his work “Introduction to the Devout Life,” “is even sweet for a brave man; but to be rebuked, accused, and mistreated by good people, by friends, by family… how painful it is! Just as the stings of bees (good people) burn more than those of flies (bad people), the harm we receive from good people and the contradictions they cause us are much more unbearable than those from other people.”

Christ said to Saint Margaret, “My enemies placed a crown of thorns on my head, but my friends placed a crown of thorns on my heart.” That hurts more…

Let us accept the stings of bees and not be surprised by them. There are so many wasps in this world, my God!…

Thoughts for each day of the year. Taken from the “Breviary of Trust” by Monsignor Brandão, Ascânio. 1936.