Course II - Teaching 12: Physical Defects

All these expressions of sorrow so far enumerated and heightened by so subtle Sacrifice both in their inner manifestation and in their outer one, do not impede at all to consider the grossest and most material sufferings and sacrifices.
Who can deny the continuous sacrifice of a person sentenced by destiny to a physical defect since his birth? How many people, in despair by the terrible idea of never being physically similar to the rest of men, have the bitterest hatred and the deepest wickedness against everybody? However, they do not know that the wise Divine Laws nothing take away on the one hand, not compensating it on the other hand.
Remember, disciples, how much good can be done to these poor unhappy fellows; teach them how to stand their sorrow with noble Sacrifice; also teach them that if they lack an organ, or a bodily organ is defective, surely they will have other organ that, properly cultivated, can give them satisfaction and success, and that they will achieve this only by transmuting their useless evil impulses into other good ones.
How joyful was Beethoven’s deafness! It made him really perceive so spiritual melodies of another world that he could be properly named the musician of Wisdom. How joyful was Roosevelt’s paralysis! Thanks to it he really developed so powerful mind forces. How joyful was Therese Neumann’s prostration! Thanks to it she really developed so great psychical powers.
A poor nun, blind from birth, resigned and quiet, had been exclusively devoted to the contemplation of God; and God rewarded her by opening her spiritual sight, and showing lofty visions. One evening she was sitting by the door, and Saint Brigit by her side would looked at the sunset; so wonderful was the scene and so great her compassion for the poor blind nun, that she fervently prayed that the nun were able to see the Sun in its whole purple splendor. Then the blind nun recovered her sight and admired the landscape, “What I am seeing cannot be compared with what I got used to see”, he said. “If this is the will of God, I prefer to be as I was before and to enjoy that vision I previously had”. And at once everything became shadows so that she could enjoy the inner light.