A deep meeting with Christ is possible through pain. Without it we cannot know deeply and we cannot meet him deeply.
Why does it have to be through pain? The reason is that we cannot meet Christ without opening ourselves. We cannot meet Christ without makng ourselves empty and opening ourselves.
Opening ourselves and making an empty space within is always accompanied by acute pain in the heart, as if has been pierced by a sharpened sword.
To welcome the Eternal One our limits must be broken apart.
Card. Stefano Kim
Fede e Amore del cardinale Stefano Kim Sou Hwan
Seoul 1997, pp. 60-61