Thought of the Day June 24, 2020 Virtue of patience
What virtue do most of us need in our daily
journey? I would suspect it may be patience.
Jesus said: “By your patience you will save your soul”.
Sometimes it is our lack of patience that can become a stumbling rock on our
path to sanctity. How often were we impatient over the past week?
To whom is our impatience directed towards? The spiritual writers identify three: others, ourselves and God.
Sometimes those we live with, those we work with, those in our immediate and extended family, those we interact with directly or indirectly get under our skin and we lose it. I know for me, my patience is tested when I am driving. Inevitably, I get behind someone who is going less than the speed limit and I am in a rush to get somewhere. But what is your situation? Who aggravates you the most?
Here is St. Francis de Sales advice on how to deal with others who push our button. "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." (St. Francis de Sales)
What I try to do when I am driving is to talk out loud as if I am talking to the person in the car. In a joking way, I ask where did the person get his/her license. Being impatient in the circumstance doesn't change the situation. It only elevates my blood pressure. Laughing at the situation to myself and at myself, takes the sting out of it.
Pray for patience but intentionally strive to be patient. "By your patience you will save your soul."
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