Lack of patience is one of my greatest faults, precisely because it is a virtue that is absolutely indispensable to live discipleship with courage and perseverance.
Father Gabriel, in his book Divine Intimacy, speaks of the true nature of Christian patience, in contrast to what the world commonly thinks patience to be. He says, “{Christian patience]…is the voluntary acceptance of suffering in view of God and eternal happiness, an acceptance sustained by the knowledge that suffering is absolutely necessary to purify us from sin, atone for our faults, and to prepare us to meet God. Christian patience incites us to accept suffering serenely, and gradually to esteem and love it, not because we see it as an end in life but rather as a necessary means for attaining the end, which is love of God and union with Him (pg. 846).”
The insight offered by Father Gabriel is essential for anyone who wishes to be a true disciple. Patience is born before the Cross of Christ. It is when we look upon the freely chosen suffering of Jesus, offered patiently for our salvation, do we realize what we must do for one another. For if we recognize how patient the Lord was with us in His Passion and Death, how can we not do the same when others cause us to suffer?
Patience is never easy to live, but it is necessary for anyone who wishes to be an agent of God’s love to those around us.
I continue to pray for greater patience in my life. However, when I find myself meditating on the Cross of Christ, I find that my prayer is slowly being answered.
The previous reflection originally appeared on Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Facebook page. Follow the Bishop for daily reflections and weekly videos!
