-"The endurance of darkness is preparation for great light" - St. John of the Cross

"... As St Ephraim observes, a mule driver knows how much his mule can carry and does not try to kill it by overloading it , and if the potter knows how long the clay should bake to  be suitable for use and does not leave it longer in the kiln than is necessary, then it would show very little appreciation of God to venture to think that He who is wisdom itself and loves us with an infinite love would load our backs with too heavy a burden or leave us longer than is necessary in the fire of tribulation. We can be quite sure that the fire will not last longer or be hotter than is necessary to bake our clay to the right point".