“It is not the beginning that is rewarded, but perseverance alone.” (St. Catherine of Siena)
It is good that the words of Saint Catherine remind us that a brief uplifting of the heart—sometimes accompanied by the tangible grace of God and corresponding resolutions—must prove itself over the long journey. This requires spiritual training, so that we consciously work at bearing the hardships necessary to bring a good beginning to fulfillment.
It may also help us to remember the Lord Himself, who walked His path to the very end—especially the difficult way of suffering, with His three falls under the weight of the cross and His repeated rising and continuing onward.
Each day is given to us so that we may grow and learn perseverance. We can be certain that our Heavenly Father will always stand by us. He will help us master the difficulties that come from outside and also overcome the inner barriers and weaknesses within us. It is precisely this that allows us to grow and mature, so that we become capable of offering help to others on their path as well.
It is important to rise again and again when we fall short of what we intended to do. The Father’s helping hand will always be there to lift us up so that we do not lose heart. This last point is very important, for the enemy of souls will try to use our discouragement to rob us of our heavenly reward when we are carrying out God’s work. The same saint helps us with another word on how our path will succeed:
“In the light of faith, I am strong, steadfast, and persevering; in the light of faith, I hope: This keeps me from growing weak along the way, and without this light, I would walk in darkness.”