very time a thought comes to mind that makes you feel bad about yourself jealousy, self pity, envy, hatred, and so on do the following:

Dig the nail of your index finger into the cuticle of the thumb of the same hand until it becomes quite painful. Concentrate on the pain: it is a physical reflection of the suffering you are going through spiritually. Ease the pressure only when the cruel thought has gone.

Repeat this as many times as necessary until the thought has left you, even if this means digging your fingernail into your thumb over and over. Each time, it will take longer for the cruel thought to return, and eventually it will disappear altogether, so long as you do not fail to perform the exercise every time it comes to mind.

Of all the ways we have found to hurt ourselves, the worst has been through love. We are always suffering because of someone who doesnt love us, or someone who has left us, or someone who wont leave us. If we are alone, it is because no one wants us; if we are mar- ried, we transform the marriage to slavery. What a terri- ble thing! he said angrily.

We came to a square, and there was the church I had seen. It was small and lacked any architectural distinc- tion. Its bell tower reached up toward the sky. I tried to see the angel again, but couldnt.

When the Son of God descended to earth, he brought love to us. But since people identified love only with suffering and sacrifice, they felt they had to crucify Jesus. Had they not done so, no one would have believed in the love that Jesus brought, since people were so used to suffering every day with their own prob- lems.

We sat on the curb and stared at the church. Once again, it was Petrus who broke the silence.

Do you know what Barrabas means, Paulo? Bar means son, and abba means father.

He gazed at the cross on the bell tower. His eyes shone, and I sensed that he was moved by something perhaps by the love he had spoken so much about, but I couldnt be certain.

The intentions of the divine glory were so wise! he said, his voice echoing in the empty square. When Pontius Pilate made the people choose, he actually gave

them no choice at all. He presented them with one man who had been whipped and was falling apart, and he presented them with another man who held his head high Barrabas, the revolutionary. God knew that the people would put the weaker one to death so that he could prove his love.

He concluded, And regardless of which choice they made, it was the Son of God who was going to be cruci- fied.