“Hard times may come, when the cross casts its shadow, yet nothing can destroy the supernatural joy that ‘adapts and changes, but always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved.’ That joy brings deep security, serene hope and a spiritual fulfillment that the world cannot understand or appreciate.” (Pope Francis) Yes, my true, inner and lasting joy comes from the faith conviction that God loves me unconditionally. That is what sustained Jesus on the cross, the personal love of the Father. What else have we to hold to in our personal struggles of life, except this conviction? I am loved by God. Many of the martyrs reflected this joy as they were dying. Listen to the account of St. Paul Miki and his companions. “Then he looked at his comrades and began to encourage them in their final struggle. Joy glowed in all their faces, and in Louis’ most of all. When a Christian in the crowd cried out to him that he would soon be in heaven, his hands, his whole body strained upward with such joy that every eye was fixed on him.” Lord, I pray for this joy throughout my life, but especially at the end!