Devotion to Padre Pio and his thought of June 5th

1. - Father, what do you do?
- I'm doing the month of St. Joseph.

2. - Father, you love what I fear.
- I don't like suffering in itself; I ask God, I yearn for the fruits it gives me: it gives glory to God, it saves me the brothers of this exile, it frees souls from the fire of purgatory, and what more do I want?
- Father, what is suffering?
- Atonement.
- What is it for you?
- My daily bread, my delight!

3. On this earth everyone has his cross; but we must make sure that we are not the bad thief, but the good thief.

4. The Lord cannot give me a Cyrenean. I only have to do God's will and, if I like him, the rest doesn't count.

5. Pray calmly!

6. First of all, I want to tell you that Jesus needs those who groan with him for human impiety, and for this he leads you through the painful ways of which you keep my word in yours. But may his charity always be blessed, which knows how to mix the sweet with the bitter and convert the transitory penalties of life into an eternal reward.

7. So do not be afraid at all, but consider yourself very fortunate to have been made worthy and a participant in the pains of Man-God. Therefore, it is not abandonment, but love and great love that God is showing you. This state is not punishment, but love and very fine love. Therefore bless the Lord and resign yourself to drinking from the cup of Gethsemane.

8. I am well understood, my daughter, that your Calvary becomes more and more painful for you. But think that on Calvary Jesus made our redemption and on Calvary the salvation of the redeemed souls must be accomplished.

9. I know you suffer a lot, but aren't these the Groom's jewels?

10. The Lord sometimes makes you feel the weight of the cross. This weight seems intolerable to you, but you carry it because the Lord in his love and mercy extends your hand and gives you strength.

11. I would prefer a thousand crosses, indeed each cross would be sweet and light to me, if I did not have this proof, that is, to always feel in the uncertainty of pleasing the Lord in my operations ... It is painful to live like this ...
I resign myself, but resignation, my fiat seems so cold, vain! ... What a mystery! Jesus must think about it alone.

12. Jesus, Mary, Joseph.

13. The good heart is always strong; he suffers, but hides his tears and consoles himself by sacrificing himself for his neighbor and for God.

14. Whoever begins to love must be ready to suffer.

15. Do not fear adversity because they put the soul at the foot of the cross and the cross puts it at the gates of heaven, where he will find the one who is the triumph of death, who will introduce it to the eternal gaudi.

16. After the Glory, we pray to Saint Joseph.

17. Let us go up Calvary generously for the love of him who immolated himself for our love and we are patient, certain that we will fly to Tabor.

18. Keep yourselves strongly and constantly united to God, consecrating all your affections, all your troubles, all of yourself, patiently waiting for the return of the beautiful sun, when the groom will like to visit you with the test of aridity, desolations and blinds of spirit.

19. Pray to Saint Joseph!

20. Yes, I love the cross, the only cross; I love her because I always see her behind Jesus.

21. The true servants of God have increasingly valued adversity, as more in conformity with the path that our Head traveled, who worked our health by means of the cross and the oppressed.

22. The fate of the chosen souls is suffering; It is suffering endured in a Christian condition, a condition to which God, the author of every grace and every gift leading to health, has determined to give us glory.

23. Always be a lover of pain which, in addition to being the work of divine wisdom, reveals to us, even better, the work of his love.

24. Let nature also resent itself before suffering, for there is nothing more natural than sin in this; your will, with divine help, will always be superior and divine love will never fail in your spirit, if you do not neglect prayer.

25. I would like to fly to invite all creatures to love Jesus, to love Mary.

26. After the glory, St. Joseph! Mass and Rosary!

27. Life is a Calvary; but it is better to go up happily. The crosses are the jewels of the Bridegroom and I am jealous of them. My sufferings are pleasant. I suffer only when I don't suffer.

28. The suffering of physical and moral evils is the most worthy offer you can make to the one who saved us by suffering.

29. I enjoy immensely in feeling that the Lord is always prodigal of his caresses with your soul. I know you are suffering, but isn't suffering a sure sign that God loves you? I know you suffer, but isn't this suffering the hallmark of every soul that has chosen a God and a crucified God for its portion and inheritance? I know that your spirit is always wrapped in the darkness of trial, but it is enough for you, my good daughter, to know that Jesus is with you and in you.

30. Crown in your pocket and in your hand!

31. Say:

St. Joseph,
Groom of Maria,
Putative Father of Jesus,
pray for us.