Book Review: Mother Angelica on Suffering and Burnout

“Suffering is something we love to talk about when it is ours, but dislike hearing about when it belongs to someone else.” Mother Angelica writes as a spiritual mother on suffering in a way that is relatable and understandable. I began reading her book on suffering because I was experiencing both spiritual and emotional suffering myself. Mother Angelica writes very well, and I was able to connect with her writing and the many examples she gave. Throughout the book, she speaks on topics such as suffering, dryness, spiritual hangovers, and Jesus’s need for me.

From the very beginning, she speaks on the different types of suffering, such as preventive, corrective, repentant, redemptive, witness, interior, personal, and wasted suffering. From the names alone, it may not always be clear what each type means, but she explains them through examples and analogies. As an example of preventive suffering, Joseph in the Old Testament suffered enslavement and imprisonment but eventually reached a position of authority that was necessary to feed his people, God’s chosen people.

One of the most helpful sections for me was on spiritual hangovers. We might wonder what this means from the name alone, and yet how illuminating it is once Mother Angelica explains it! She explains that any form of overindulgence creates within the body warning signs of destruction (e.g., smoking produces lung cancer). She goes on to explain that overindulgence can be controlled by a virtuous life. It is self-indulgence that brings on our “spiritual hangovers,” such as deliberately harboring hurt feelings. I found this powerful, and she also provides suggested spiritual remedies for these spiritual hangovers.

I finished the book in about a month, not because it was very long, but rather because I took my time with it and used it for spiritual reading. I’m glad I did. It helped me through a trying time. There were statements that helped me know how to react or respond in my own situations, particularly when Mother Angelica writes about responding with gentleness to another’s anger. In doing so, we show Christ. I had previously read Peter Kreeft’s Making Sense of Suffering, which is another great book. They each approach the topic differently, yet both are good. I’m grateful to have Mother Angelica’s perspective on the topic as well.

Almost everyone experiences some kind of suffering. I would recommend this book, especially for those who are going through more trying times. Mother Angelica simply writes in a way that makes you feel seen.