Thank you for your response!

"Jesus has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear his cross. He has many who desire consolation, but few who care for trial. He finds many to share His table, but few to take part in His fasting. All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him." – Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ

One point to make that is crucial — you are called as a catechist to go deeply into others’ lives, but this does not mean acting imprudently with your own life. Prof. Keimig makes an excellent point that to love someone, it must cost you something, but this must not become an imbalance towards only suffering. God has not created us for suffering, but for love. The way in which we experience love in a fallen world often does involve suffering, but suffering cannot be our utmost goal. It is important to listen to the Holy Spirit as catechists to see how we should love those we serve in prudence and wisdom. This listening should often take the form of studying the lives of the saints. They are each an example of how God’s ways become a human’s ways.

Be open to what God is calling you to, but don’t assume that God is going to call you to let your life be torn apart. Keep your mind as open and creative as an act of trust in the Holy Spirit. Love may involve suffering, but doesn’t necessarily mean that we will always be suffering.

Let us resign ourselves in any sicknesses which befall us. Worldly people call illness misfortunes, but the saints call them visitations of God and favors. When we are ill we ought certainly to take remedies in order to be cured, but we should always be resigned to whatever God disposes. And if we pray for restoration of health, let it always be done with resignation, otherwise we shall not obtain the favor. But how much do we not gain when we are ill by offering to God all we suffer? He who loves God from his heart does not desire to be cured of his illness in order not to suffer, but he desires to please God by suffering. It was this love which made the scourge, the rack, the burning pitch sweet to the holy martyrs. We must also unite ourselves to the will of God with regard to our natural defects, as want of talents, being of low birth, weak health, bad sight, want of ability, and the like. All that we have is the free gift of God. Might He not have made us a fly or a blade of grass? A hundred years ago were we anything but nothingness? And what more do we want? Let it suffice that God has given us the power of becoming saints. Although we may have little talent, poor health, and may be poor and abject, we may very well become saints through His grace, if we have the will. Oh, how many unfortunate beings have been damned on account of their talents, their health, high birth, riches or beauty! Let us then be content with what God has done for us; and let us thank Him always for the good things He has given us, and particularly for having called us to the holy faith. This is a great gift, and one for which few are found to thank God. (St. Alphonsus Liguori, A Christian's Rule of Life )