Meditation for February 22, Self-Forbearance

We sometimes become angry with ourselves if in spite of our renewed resolutions, we fall again and again into the same faults and negligences. And why? Do we imagine that on a cer­tain day we will succeed once for all in correcting our innate weakness. We are weak and we shall remain weak despite all our ef­forts to acquire strength.

Why then should we be discouraged? Shall we never accomplish anything? Is it worth the effort to struggle under these conditions?

Yes, certainly, it is worth the effort. God desires the struggle more than the victory and He knows very well of what clay we are made and does not expect of us a perfection so regular that it never wavers.

What foolishness then and what a waste of time for us to become angry! While we are bemoaning our misery, we forget to advance. One act of generous love would make up the whole deficit; instead of that we squander our time in useless regrets; we ought to forget the whole affair, serenely take up the struggle again and repair everything.

Furthermore, by spitefully attacking ourselves we run the risk of enlarging the gulf between our soul and God, of giving exag­gerated importance to our faults and of uselessly and indefinitely recalling them. St. Francis de Sales wittily said,

"You are vexed by the vexation and then you are vexed for having been vexed by the vexation. That resembles the circle made by throwing a stone into the water; it makes a little circle, and that one makes a bigger one, and that one still another."

"Lord, grant me patience with my weakness. And grant that my efforts to correct myself may be free from anxiety. Give me fortitude, but above all give me patience with myself."
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)