Thought for the Day – 1 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
PATIENCE
Meditations for a Month
The Praises of Patience
- Patience is a virtue which receives, in Holy Scripture and especially in the writings of St Paul, praise almost without end. ‘He that is patient,’ says the Wise Man, ‘is governed with much wisdom.’ (Prov 14 : 29) ‘Patience has a perfect work,‘ says St James (ch. 1 : 4). ‘Patience is necessary to you,‘ says St Paul, ‘that by doing the will of God you may receive the promise. ‘ (Hebrews 10 : 36.) Think over these passages one by one and question yourself whether you fulfil this necessary condition of eternal salvation.
- Our Blessed Lord has Himself a special benediction for patience. ‘In your patience,‘ He says, ‘you shall possess your souls.‘ (St Luke 2 : 19.) That is, by patience, we shall save our souls. What higher praise could our Lord bestow upon patience than this? If it is to be the instrument of salvation, it is an inestimable treasure. Instead of dreading it, we ought to court it and welcome every occasion for its exercise. Every act of patience brings us nearer to Heaven and the test of our fitness for the Kingdom of God is, have we learned to suffer with perfect patience?
- St John does but echo the words of his Divine Master when he says (Apoc 7 : 14) of the redeemed around the throne, ‘These are they who came out of great tribulation.’ Not that the mere passing through suffering is sufficient, for he adds ‘And have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb that is, have obtained forgiveness by uniting their sufferings with the sufferings of the Son of God.’
Do I find in myself this description realised? Have I suffered and suffered willingly for Christ’s sake? Or do I seek to avoid all suffering and fight against it,and bear it impatiently when it comes?
AnaStpaul 