This article from Leilamiller.net (and also shared via SpiritualDirection.com) does a beautiful job describing not only the three stages along the path of holiness, but also provides a great synopsis of how we perceive suffering during each stage.
An illuminating read for anyone striving to grow in holiness. Enjoy!
Because our culture is all about rejecting the cross, and because the cross
is our ladder to Heaven, I want to talk about our perception of it.
It’s spiritually helpful to know that our disposition toward the cross
(suffering) will depend on where we are in the interior life. Traditional
Catholic spirituality talks of three stages (or ages) of holiness for the
Christian, and our response to the cross changes as we journey through
those stages and approach closer to the Heart of the Trinity.
First, here’s the briefest of explanations about the stages of holiness,
and then we will get to how they relate to our understanding and acceptance
of the cross…
