No. Grief and anger doesn’t shock me.” Catherine paused…
““No. Grief and anger doesn’t shock me.” Catherine paused. “Rachel, do you remember that day at the convent when we saw the old biplane? Remember what I said?” Rachel laughed without amusement. “I don’t even remember what I said.” “’Who can doubt the presence of God in the sight of men whom He has given wings.’ I recall that so precisely because I’ve had time to consider my error.” She smiled. “God didn’t give man wings; He gave him the brain and the spirit to give himself wings. Just as He gave us the capacity to laugh when we hurt, or to struggle on when we feel like giving up. I’ve come to believe that how we choose to live with pain, or injustice, or death…is the true measure of the Divine within us. Some, like Crossen, choose to do harm to themselves and others. Others, like Kenji, bear up under their pain and help others to bear it. I used to wonder, why did God give children leprosy? Now I believe: God doesn’t give anyone leprosy. He gives us, if we choose to use it, the spirit to live with leprosy, and with the imminence of death. Because it is in our own mortality that we are most Divine.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage reflects on suffering as a divine test, suggesting that how we respond to pain reveals our inner divinity, and that God gives us the capacity to endure and help others.
In simple terms: Pain reveals our inner divine measure.
Key Takeaway
Respond to suffering with compassion and purpose.
Themes
suffering
divinity
resilience
compassion
Mood
empathetic
hopeful
Type
spiritual
motivational
When to use this quote
- healthcare
- counseling
- community support
- personal loss
Key Concepts
theodicy
human agency
spiritual growth
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your response to pain define your character?
- Can suffering be a catalyst for spiritual growth?
A Different Perspective
Pain may lead to despair if not framed constructively.