Sep 17 2019 22 mins 1
Many of you know I have been suffering for 41/2 years an unexplainable muscular skeletal issue that affects my breathing. Today, I am worn out with it. So I have been reflecting on my need for the virtue of patience. The virtue of patience enables us to bear physical and moral sufferings without being overwhelmed by sorrow. If we suffer well our reward in heaven will immeasurably surpass the pain in this life but we may be in danger of losing our reward because we fail to exercise the virtue of patience. In fact, we suffer even more than we would have, because we don’t conform our will to the will of God. Patience harnesses the emotions of anger and sorrow to help us take advantage of the good of suffering that purifies us of disordered attachments, increases our Faith, Hope and Love which is our capacity to receive the life of God, and leverage our suffering to help save souls and change world events. Paul writes in Col. 1:24 I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. And in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.
5 reasons to practice the virtue of patience:
1. Patience helps us conform our will to the loving will of God, who knows better than we the things that are good for us and therefore sometimes sends us suffering and tribulation.
2. The recollection of the suffering of Jesus and Mary, incomparable models of patience, and the sincere desire to imitate them.
3. The necessity of making reparation for our sins by the voluntary and virtuous acceptance of suffering in atonement for our sins.
4. To respond to the invitation of Jesus to help him save souls and change world events for good by uniting our suffering to His as Paul said in Col. 1:24
5. The prospect of an eternity of happiness that awaits us if we know how to suffer in patience. The suffering passes, but the fruit of having sanctified our suffering will never pass.
5 Degrees of Patience:
1. Resignation without complaint or impatience to the crosses God sends us or permits to come to us.
2. Peace and serenity in the face of affliction, without any of the sadness or melancholy that accompanies mere resignation.
3. Acceptance of one’s cross for the love of God and to help save souls
4. Complete and total joy, which leads one to give thanks to God for being associated with him in the mystery of the Cross.
5. The folly of the Cross, which prefers suffering to pleasure and places all one’s delight in external suffering by which one is configured to Christ. As St. Teresa of Avila used to say: “To suffer or to die.”
5 Ways to Grow in Patience:
1. Constantly beg God for the gift of patience.
2. Foresee the difficulties we shall encounter on the path of virtue. St. Thomas recommends this practice to all Christians, and especially to those who have not yet acquired the habit of working with fortitude. In this way one gradually overcomes one's fear, and when difficulties actually arise, one will overcome them much more easily because one has anticipated them.
3. Accept with a generous spirit the little annoyances of daily life.
4. Meditate frequently on the passion and death of Christ.
5. You can do anything for the one you love so if you want to be better at bearing suffering then increase your love for God and accept your suffering as a way to love Him more.
To be be Cheerful or Joyful in suffering is a necessary requirement of Patience. We must preserve cheerfulness and serenity in trial. It’s not enough to endure - we must endure cheerfully.
