THEOSISJerome of Stridon
You are reminded of Blesilla’s community, her loving conversations and sources of comfort, and the thought of losing all of that is unbearable for you. I am prepared to extend forgiveness for your mother’s sorrows, but I implore you to temper your grief. When I contemplate the feelings of a parent, I find no cause to blame you, yet if I focus on you as a Christian and a consecrated woman, the concept of motherhood diminishes. Your pain remains acute, and any attempt, no matter how gentle, to touch upon it seems to deepen rather than alleviate your suffering. But why not exercise wisdom to constrain the sadness that, in due time, will inevitably diminish? Consider Naomi, who, in fleeing from famine to the fields of Moab, lost her husband and both sons.
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Even when stripped of their support, Ruth, an unfamiliar face, remained steadfast by her side (See Ruth 1:14). Contemplate the profound significance of offering solace to a grieving woman: as a consequence of her loyalty, Ruth becomes a part of the lineage of Christ (See Ruth 1:5). Reflect on the agonies endured by Job, and recognize, despite your sensitivity, that he lifted his gaze to the heavens amidst the ruins of his home, afflicted with painful sores, facing innumerable losses, and even in the face of his wife’s temptations. Through it all, his patience remained steadfast.