Planting the Seeds of Patience in the Soil of Silence

The last time I spoke about patience, I gave its etymology. today I'll offer Fr. John Hardon's definition from his Catholic dictionary, a source I often use. I want to understand what I'm talking about, particularly when it involves the faith. Fr. Hardon, S.J. can always be relied upon. Here's how he defines patience:

A form of the moral virtue of fortitude. It enables one to endure present evils without sadness or resentment in conformity with the will of God. Patience is mainly concerned with bearing the evils caused by another. The three grades of patience are: to bear difficulties without interior complaint, to use hardships to make progress in virtue, and even to desire the cross and afflictions out of love for God and accept them with spiritual joy. (Etym. Latin patientia, patience, endurance; from patiens, suffering.)

Now that is one tall order! All of us experience evils in our lives. At present both the tyrants in the culture and the tyrants in the Church are inflicting evils on us. So let's break this definition down.

• We cannot escape many of the "present evils" around us. Societal evils affect everyone.
• We need to recognize that God's Providence allows everything, including evils. 
• Often the evils come from those closest to us: family, friends, co-workers, bosses, etc.
• We are called, as the spiritual work of mercy say, "to bear wrongs patiently" which means "without sadness or resentment" and it's always a good idea to examine our contribution to the problems.
• Even interior complaint is a fault against patience.
• Hardship and suffering, especially unjust suffering, is an opportunity to grow in virtue especially when we accept the suffering out of love for God and unite it to the cross of Christ.
• The biggest challenge? To rejoice as the apostles did in accepting suffering and persecution for the love of God. How many of us can really say we accept the present evils with "spiritual joy?" That may take a lifetime of practice -- falling and getting up to try again.

What a challenge! Growing in patience is even harder than I thought. And slow to grow. Patience means waiting for the tiny seed to grow into a tree. 

As I look back at the list above, I realize I could spend many hours of meditation thinking about each one of those bullet points. What are the "present evils" that I'm experiencing? How am I responding to them? Do I see God's Providence in them? Do I unite myself to His Will and learn anything from them? Do I wait on Him to see where these things will take me and whether I grow in virtue because of my reaction? Or will I become discouraged and lose ground? Do I cultivate a spirit of joy preferring vinegar to sugar as St. Therese said?

I wonder whether the hermits in the desert spent their days thinking of such things. They immersed themselves in silence. So I guess the first step in developing patience is to be still and silent, like Elijah patiently waiting for God and finally hearing Him in the tiny, whispering sound.

Help me, Lord, to plant the seeds of patience in the fertile soil of silence. Help me to wait patiently for that tiny, whispering sound. Give me ears to hear it and the grace to embrace its message. Help me to be patient with everyone, including myself.

Thy Kingdom come; Thy Will be done. Amen.