Book 3, Chapter 47: All Troubles Are to be Endured for the Sake of Eternal Life
Fr. Augustine Tolton
Comment: The Saints imitate Christ. So should we. The great cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1)give us additional examples to emulate through prayer, works, joys and sufferings of the day. In this holy effort, Christ tells us that He is the reward, and that He is sufficient. In this pursuit of this promise, we may be debased and contorted and driven into exile, but from the Saints’ point of view, this is normal, not extraordinary. And so we must not fear the troubles or avoid affliction for God’s sake, in pursuit of eternal life with Him in His Kingdom.
Chapter 47, In Short.
1. Let God’s promises comfort you – do not be weary in working for Him.
2. Do your part well and your reward will be Christ Himself.
3. Being afflicted for God’s sake is to be counted as gain.
4. The losing or gaining of the Kingdom of God is no small thing.
Book 3, Chapter 47: All Troubles Are to be Endured for the Sake of Eternal Life
The voice of Christ: “My Child, do not let the work which you have undertaken for Me break you down, nor let tribulations wear you down in any way. Let My promises always strengthen and comfort you (Ps 119:76)
I Am sufficient to reward you above all measure (Gn 15:1).
You will not work here long, nor will you always be weighed down with sorrows.
Wait yet a little while, and you shall see a speedy end of your evils. An hour shall come when all labor and
confusion will cease. All is little and short is all which passes away with time.
2. “Do your part well. Pay attention to what you are doing. Work faithfully in My vineyard; I will be thy reward.
Write, read, sing, weep, be silent, pray, endure troubles with courage. Eternal life is worth all of these conflicts, yes, and of greater. One day peace shall come. This is known to the Lord. This rest may not be day or night, such it is at present,(Zach 14:7) but light eternal, infinite clearness, steadfast peace, and undisturbed rest. Then you will not say ‘Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?(Rm 7:24)’ nor will you cry out, ‘Woe is me, for my sojourning is prolonged,(Ps 120:5; Rev 21:23).’ For death will be no more. Your salvation can never fail: no more anxiety, happy delight, a sweet and noble society.
3. “Oh, if you could see the everlasting crown of the saints in heaven and how glorious is the triumph of those who were once considered beneath contempt – and even unworthy of life, you would doubtless 
cast yourself down to the ground immediately. Seeing this, you would rather to be subject to all, than to have authority over any. You would not long for pleasant days of this life, but would instead rejoice to be afflicted for God’s sake, and would measure it as gain among others to be counted as nothing.
4. “Oh, if these things were sweet to your taste, and moved you to the bottom of your heart, how should you even dare to complain once? Are not all laborious things to be endured for the sake of eternal life? The losing or gaining the Kingdom of God is no small thing. Therefore, lift up your face to heaven. Behold, I and all My Saints with Me, who in this world had great conflict, now rejoice, are now comforted, are now secure, are now at peace, and shall remain with Me forever in the Kingdom of My Father (Wis 5:1).”
Heb 12:1 Great Cloud of Witnesses