There is not one amongst the saints that has not lived on the cross, not one that has not been content to suffer thereon with his adorable Master. All of them, like our holy father, St. Benedict, “preferred the scorn of men to their praises, and desired rather to be exhausted with labour than enriched with the favours of this world. Blessed Henry Suso, having been given a short and, with him, extremely rare respite from his continual trials, complained thus of it to the religious sisters who were his spiritual daughters: “I fear I am going to the bad, because for almost four weeks now I have had nothing to endure from anybody. I am very much afraid God has forsaken me. ” Scarcely had he spoken these words when someone came with the news that two powerful persecutors of his had sworn to destroy him. He experienced at first an emotion of fear. “I should like to know how I have deserved to be slain.” “It is on account of the conversions you have made.” “Then God be praised,” he replied; and returning to the convent grille, exclaimed joyously: “Courage, my daughters! God has me still in His thoughts, He has not yet forgotten me.”

Dom Vitalis Lehodey ‘Holy Abandonment’