Patience: Are we Living According to God’s Time or our Time?
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In today’s “instant society”, we have lost the value of the virtue of patience. However, we are called to live eternally, and led by the example of the saints, patience will help prepare us for Heaven.
St. Francis de Sales speaks of practicing patience when others bother us:
“Resist your impatience faithfully, practicing, not only with reason, but even against reason, holy courtesy and sweetness to all, but especially to those who weary you most.”
The article “The Patience of the Saints” by Fr. Joseph Esper reads:
“Another saint who demonstrated the virtue of patience was the abbot St. Aelred. Once, when a noble criticized him in the presence of the king, Aelred listened meekly and then thanked the man for pointing out his faults. The noble was so touched by Aelred’s humility and patience that he begged his forgiveness. Being patient can have a very positive effect on other people.”
But Saint Francis also reminds us that we live according to God’s timing. Patience with God in prayer is also necessary:
“When you are overtaken by some misfortune, seek the remedies that God affords you — for not to do so would be to tempt His Divine Providence — but having done so, await the result He may appoint with perfect resignation. If He sees fit to permit the remedies to overcome the evil, thank Him humbly; but if, on the other hand, He permits the evil to overcome the remedies, patiently bless His holy name and submit.”
To prepare for Sunday’s chat, Please look over Catholic Exchange’s article, “The Patience of the Saints.”
In our Living Jesus Chat Room this Sunday, we will discuss these points:
- Which is more difficult? Showing patience to those who bother us, or patience with God’s timing?
- The saints speak of practicing patience with humility. Is it possible to practice patience without humility?
- As mentioned above, patience requires that we submit to God’s timing, rather than our own. With this in mind, what other virtues can patience help us develop?
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Come to our Living Jesus Chat Room, 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM Eastern Time U.S. this Sunday.