Pain passes – Beauty remains

The French artist Henri Matisse died in 1954 at the age of 86. Towards the end of his life he suffered a lot from arthritis, and he was in great pain to even pick up a brush to paint. When he was asked why he continued to paint when he was in such pain, he said ‘Pain passes, but Beauty remains.’ This was the same remark that the Blessed Mother told Bernardette Soubirous when she appeared to her: ‘My daughter,  you will have to suffer in this world, but I promise you an eternal reward in Heaven.’ This was evident also in the life of Jesus. He suffered much in his three years of public ministry, ending up being killed. But He won the ultimate victory, rising from the dead, the ultimate glory for Him and for us.