"The Everlasting God, has in His wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you, as a gift from His inmost Heart. This cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms, and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large, and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from Heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful Love of God." ~Saint Francis de Sales
It is the new feast of Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622). What a beautiful meditation on peace within suffering he wrote. Saint Francis, Bishop of Geneva, himself suffered much at the end of his fruitful life, and with final perseverance won his heavenly reward-eventually achieving the title of Saint and Doctor of Holy Mother Church.