Today, we read CCC, 702 - 747 and discuss how trials, sufferings, times of purification... are part of God's "mysterious fidelity" to us. Rather than vindictive punishments or haphazard forgetfulness, God is actually loving us by cutting away the junk in us and in our lives, shaping us into the people He created us to be so that we can enjoy the fullness of the blessed life he has in store for each and every one of us. Much like an annoyingly cheerful teacher or a super dedicated coach who just will not give up on his or her students or players, God relentlessly pursues us and, while the pursuit may not be the most exciting nor the most comfortable, his work can achieve great things in us and through us.