“…the other path—the spiritual one—is not easy. There is much sorrow; sometimes it seems (and happens) that the whole world—even those close to you—is against you. But then, as sorrows grow, the power of grace also multiplies—the help that strengthens you and gives you consolation and even joy in sorrow. But worldly sorrows are cheerless and do not benefit us.”
(St John of San Francisco, 1961 letter)