“The message is this bittersweet scroll: we must share in the sufferings of

Christ in order to share in the life of Christ. If the message that you

have swallowed is semi-sweet, and lacking in bitterness, it’s not the word

of God. If it’s not the sweetest thing you can imagine, and it’s not

bitter…that we’ve been called to lay down this life…to lay down this life

and take up our cross…if the message you’ve believed is not so sweet that

you cannot imagine anything better, and if the messaage you’ve received

doesn’t have this bitterness as well…it is not the word of God…”