Search This Blog

Monday, September 23, 2024

1 Corinthians 13: Love is Patient.


Well, I posted yesterday about my plan to focus on 1 Corinthians 13 as a meditation for the rest of the year. It starts with reflecting on the virtue of patience. I will get lots of practice today because I have an appointment in Northern Virginia that will put me enroute for 85 minutes, most of it in what I call the "white knuckle zone." How I hate that drive! But today I will think of it as the learning lab experience offering me plenty of real-time practice. I will not call any drivers names (at least I'll try) and will take a deep breath before I get upset at any traffic slowdowns. I will repeat over and over, "Love is patient....Love is patient....Love is patient." 

Ah....I feel better already! You know what they say about using a mantra to relax. Just thinking about the trip raises my blood pressure so I won't think about it.

I like to start with the etymology of a word. 

This one comes from The Cultivated Mind:
Etymology 101
Word/Cognate of the Day: Patience
Patience (abstract noun): of Latin origin patientia; the Latin root is pati or pass; the Proto-Indo-European root is pei, all of which mean to suffer or endure; firm and unyielding (like a river's current). To suffer without complaint.

...yes, patience is truly a virtue...

Other words with the Latin cognate include: passion; compassion; compatible

Thus, a person in the hospital would be considered a patient (concrete noun) because they are suffering from an illness or disease; and to heal, they must be patient (adjective) to see the best results.

The picture of the little boy fishing made me laugh. I have never liked fishing and now I know why. Because it takes a serene and quiet and patient spirit. I don't think anyone would describe me that way. Choleric yes; serene sometimes; patient with difficulty; cheerful always. But one can grow in virtue and that's my goal for now -- to grow in the virtue of patience.

To be continued....

No comments:

Post a Comment