Patience in compassion

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

PERHAPS that’s what we can learn from the readings of Friday of the 30^th Week in Ordinary Time. (cfr. Rom 9,1-5; Lk 14,1-6) There we can see how St. Paul expressed his deep sorrow and anguish for his unbelieving people and was willing to be cursed if only to help his Jewish brothers and sisters. The gospel reading talks about Christ giving priority to compassion over legalism by healing a man with a dropsy on a Sabbath day.

We can ask, why do we have to be patient when faced with all sorts of suffering, be it physical, moral or spiritual? There can be many answers to this question, foremost of which, I think, is that it is what is expected of us—that is, expected of us by God. That simple.

Patience is understandably a very trying trait to have, a most difficult virtue to cultivate. It somehow goes against our common sense, our instinctive impulses. Some people have even regarded it as unnatural, as inhuman.

All these spontaneous reactions with respect to this virtue are understandable, given our weakened condition. We tend to see things in a very limited and shallow way. It takes time and effort, and of course, God’s grace, before we get to see the true character and beauty of patience, and fathom its wisdom.

Somehow, we are given a glimpse of the reason for patience through these words of St. James in his letter: “You will always have your trials, but when they come, try to treat them as a happy privilege. You understand that your faith is only put to the test to make you patient, but patience too is to have its practical results so that you will become fully-developed, complete, with nothing missing.” (1,2-4)

Besides, patience allows us to see things more objectively and calmly, disposing us to react and behave in a more appropriate way whatever the situation may be. Our judgments would be better arrived at.

With it, we become more able to handle all kinds of predicament, whether they be hot issues, difficult persons or personal failures. We cannot deny that situations are aplenty where we find ourselves unable to cope with our problems, where we can only see face to face the naked reality of our limitations.

With it too, we would know how to move on in spite of impediments and hindrances. We would not get stuck at a certain point, and would just allow the workings of providence to take effect. Along the way, we get to know more and new things, expanding our knowledge and savouring the finer points of things we already know.

Our mind would be broadened, our heart made more universal. We would be released from the confines of our temperament and character, and put ourselves on track toward a fuller actualization of our potentials. Yes, it facilitates our blossoming to maturity.

There are many other practical advantages of patience. But what is of utmost importance is that it is what would also resemble us with Christ who is patience personified.

We have to be clear about this. If we want to have patience, it is to Christ whom we should approach and learn from. It’s he who will make us understand the reason and meaning of it, he who will give us the very strength for it, which otherwise would be impossible for us.

With Christ, all our efforts to be patient can have not only temporal, human effects, but also eternal and supernatural ones.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com