Commenting on the first reading of the day, Acts chapter 16, Pope Francis said even in troubling times, Christians are full of joy and never sad, like Paul and Silas who were persecuted and imprisoned for witnessing to the Gospel. They were joyful, he said, because they followed Jesus in on the path of his passion. A path the Lord travelled with patience:
"Being patient: that is the path that Jesus also teaches us Christians. Being patient ... This does not mean being sad. No, no, it's another thing! This means bearing, carrying the weight of difficulties, the weight of contradictions, the weight of tribulations on our shoulders. This Christian attitude of bearing up: of being patient. That which is described in the Bible by a Greek word, that is so complete, Hypomoné, in life bearing ever day tasks; contradictions; tribulations, all of this. These - Paul and Silas - bear their tribulations, endure the humiliation: Jesus bore them, he was patient. This is a process - allow me this word 'process' - a process of Christian maturity, through the path of patience. A process that takes some time, that you cannot undergo from one day to another: it evolves over a lifetime arriving at Christian maturity. It is like a good wine. "
The Pope recalled that so many martyrs were joyful, such as the martyrs of Nagasaki who helped each other, as they "waited for the moment of death." Pope Francis recalled it was of some martyrs that "they went to martyrdom" as if they were going to a "wedding party". This attitude of endurance, he added, is a Christian’s normal attitude, but it is not a masochistic attitude. It is an attitude that leads them "along the path of Jesus":
"When the difficulties arrive, so do temptations. For example, the complaint: 'Look what I have to deal with ... a complaint. And a Christian who constantly complains, fails to be a good Christian: they become Mr. or Mrs. Whiner, no? Because they always complain about everything, right? Silence in endurance, silence in patience. That silence of Jesus: Jesus in His Passion did not speak much, only two or three necessary words ... But it is not a sad silence: the silence of bearing the Cross is not a sad silence. It is painful, often very painful, but it is not sad. The heart is at peace. Paul and Silas were praying in peace. They were in pain, because then it is said that the jailer washed their wounds while they were in prison – they had wounds - but endured in peace. This journey of endurance helps us deepen Christian peace, it makes us stronger in Jesus."
Thus, concluded Pope Francis, a Christian is called to endure their troubles just like Jesus, "without complaint, endure in peace." This patience, “renews our youth and makes us younger."
"The patient is the one that, in the long run, is younger! Just think of those elderly people in the hospices, those who have endured so much in life: Look at their eyes, young eyes, they have a youthful spirit and a renewed youth. And the Lord invites us to this: to be rejuvenated Easter people on a journey of love, patience, enduring our tribulations and also - I would say – putting up with one another. We must also do this with charity and love, because if I have to put up with you, I'm sure you will put up with me and in this way we will move forward on our journey on the path of Jesus. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of Christian endurance that gives us peace, this bearing things with a good heart, this joyful bearing to become younger and younger, like good wine: younger with this renewed Easter youth of the spirit. So be it. "
--Pope Francis, 7 May 2013
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-christian-endurance-and-christs-peace
Christians are not whiners
WHY WE NEED PATIENCE
For a stalk to grow or a flower to open there must be time that cannot be forced; nine months must go by for the birth of a human child; to write a book or compose music often years must be dedicated to patient research. To find the mystery there must be patience, interior purification, silence, waiting.
- Pope John Paul II
THE CROSS FROOM DIFFERENT ANGLES
Under the influence of fear, we bear the Cross of Christ with patience. Under the more inspiring influence of hope, we carry the Cross with a firm and valiant heart. But under the consuming power of love, we embrace the Cross with ardour.
(St Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercian priest, Doctor of the Church, 1090-1153)
The example of Jesus from the Cross
Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.
It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.
If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.
If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honours, for he experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
(St Thomas Aquinas)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."(Heb. 12:1–3)
The Christian life is not a sprint. It is long distance, a marathon—and the run requires patience and perseverance. In his coaching passage in Hebrews, Paul's word for perseverance, in its root, is the same word used to express endurance in Matthew 10,". . . he that endures to the end shall be saved." The beautiful passage in 1 Corinthians 13 employs the same word to say that love endures all things. So whether with God—the vertical relationship of our lives—or in the horizontal relationships with our friends, husbands and wives, parents and children, we are advised to pace ourselves, to persevere and endure.
How do we endure? A day at a time. Patience doesn't arrive prepackaged and complete. We must appropriate it over and over again, morning by morning, day by day, throughout life. One of the greatest and most popular prayers of the 20th Century is used by Alcoholics Anonymous and was originally written by Reinhold Niebuhr. Beautiful, marvelous, profoundly real, "The Serenity Prayer" has at its heart the cross and resurrection of Christ:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept those things I cannot change, the courage to change those things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
It also speaks the theme of endurance—"living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time . . ." which upends our compulsive lives.
This brings us to verse three and Paul's final point: Patience has been modeled for us. By whom? By the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. How can we comprehend Christ's suffering and patience? Simply by knowing Him. In The Revelation, the Christ who is to come shows us his scars. He forever is the wounded healer. Suffering is at His heart. His triumph comes through his suffering. And He calls us to be like him. "Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself . . ."
How do we acquire patience and perseverance? Only one way: We look to Christ. We keep our eyes on the grief of the cross and the glory of His resurrection and triumph. We keep looking day after day as often as we need. We just keep looking to Christ.
(Howard Butt, The High Calling of our Daily Work, http://www.thehighcalling.org/Library/ViewLibrary.asp?LibraryID=110)
How to face the difficulties in one's assignment
St Vincent de Paul to a superior: “The difficulties that you find in your position of authority are not signs that it is not good; on the contrary, our Lord means to show that it is good, since He is putting it to the test. (…) If you had nothing to suffer as superior you would be very happy, but you will be happier still if you stand firm in times of tribulation, for the love of our Lord who set you in this position; and if your humility leads you to think that someone else could stand up to it better than you, your charity should persuade you that it is up to you to put up with it rather than throw the burden off onto another. I have already asked you to be patient, and I ask you again.” [p. 71]
(St Vincent de Paul. From Jacques Delarue, The Holiness of Vincent de Paul, Geoffrey Chapman Ltd, London 1960, 132 pp)
7 DALETH. Quiesce in Domino et exspecta eum;
noli aemulari in eo, qui prosperatur in via sua,
in homine, qui molitur insidias.
8 HE. Desine ab ira et derelinque furorem,
noli aemulari, quod vertit ad malum,
9 quoniam qui malignantur, exterminabuntur,
sustinentes autem Dominum ipsi hereditabunt terram.
10 VAU. Et adhuc pusillum et non erit peccator,
et quaeres locum eius et non invenies.
11 Mansueti autem hereditabunt terram
et delectabuntur in multitudine pacis.
7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the wicked shall be cut off;
but those who wait for the LORD shall possess the land.
10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look well at his place, he will not be there.
11* But the meek shall possess the land,
and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
(Psalm 37:7-11)
(One of the letters of Archbishop Périer, SJ, to Mother Teresa)
...Take a little time. If Our Lord wishes to work miracles in this case certainly He can do it, but we have no right to expect them and He does not work miracles without a very good reason. Be patient. By writing yourself now to Rome you might spoil the whole outcome of your petition. Perhaps the Very Reverend Mother general has written herself already. Just wait for a reply. Do not rush things, and do not expect others to rush them either. ... In due time the reply will come, remain quiet. Pray much and live intimately with Our Lord Jesus Christ asking for light, strength, decision; but do not anticipate HIS WORK. Try not to put anything of your own in all this. You are His instrument, nothing more. ... If Our Lord wants it to be done quickly He can arrange that; in the meantime being human creatures we must act according to our means.
(Blessed Mother Teresa, Come Be My Light, p 112)
1 Iustificati igitur ex fide,
pacem habemus ad Deum per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
2 per quem et accessum habemus fide in gratiam istam,
in qua stamus et gloriamur in spe gloriae Dei.
3 Non solum autem, sed et gloriamur in tribulationibus,
scientes quod tribulatio patientiam operatur,
4 patientia autem probationem, probatio vero spem;
5 spes autem non confundit,
quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum,
qui datus est nobis.
1* Therefore, since we are justified by faith,
we *have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2* Through him we have obtained access * to this grace in which we stand,
and we * rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
3* More than that, we * rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5* and hope does not disappoint us,
because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit
which has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5)