Illness Moves Us To God.
Updated: Apr 11, 2022

Eugene Rose, later Fr. Seraphim of Platina, wrote this pivotal passage in his journey from American born, protestant, spiritual seeker, and 50's Bohemian Beatnik to Orthodox monk, on February 28, 1959. He searched for the answer to life and found mostly despair and darkness - until he found Truth. Truth in a Person. A Person who alone dispels the darkness of our fears and scatters the shadows of our worry. Eugene Rose found Love. And fell into His grace-filled arms.
Father Seraphim (Rose) of Platina
What suffering has not God reserved for man in this age! As though man had not suffered enough already throughout all the ages – no, it is simply that man has not realized the presence of God in his suffering. God is allowing man to suffer now without revealing Himself as the cause of that suffering: He wishes man to be reduced to the very upmost of despair. What a cruel God this must be? – No, it is the infinite and incalculable love of God that makes Him allow us so much suffering. Man had thought himself sufficient, and even now he – we – think we can escape our destiny by our own efforts.
Escape! – that is our only thought. To escape from the insanity, the hell, of modern life is all we wish. But we cannot escape!! We must go through this hell, and accept it, knowing it is the love of God that causes our suffering. What terrible anguish! – to suffer so, not knowing why, indeed thinking there is no reason. The reason is God’s love – do we see it blazing in the darkness! – we are blind. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy; Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.
We have a choice, to follow the way of this world, of the society that surrounds us, and thereby find ourselves outside of God, or to choose the way of life, to choose God Who calls us and for whom our heart is searching.