Patience
Thoughts on the Patient Endurance of Sorrows and Sufferings
NECESSITY OF PATIENCE
Consider the absolute necessity of patience in serving God anq saving our souls.
"Patience is necessary for you," saith the apostle, (Heb. x. 36,) "that doing the will of God, you may receive the promise."
For our life is a warfare upon earth; and in every part of life we must expect to meet with trials, conflicts, and sufferings. Now patience turns all these to our good; but where patience is wanting, all goes wrong; we sin at every step; we cowardly give up the cause of God and our souls, upon every slight occasion; we withdraw ourselves from the service, which we were happily engaged in; we run from our colours, we fall a prey to the enemy. O 'tis true that as there is no going to heaven but "through many tribulations," (Acts xiv. 21), so there is no securing to ourselves that blessed kingdom, but by much patience.
Conclude to give ear to the admonitions of the Spirit of God, (Ecclus. ii.), "Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. Humble thy heart, and endure - wait on God with patience; join thyself to God, and endure - take all that shall be brought upon thee, and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience: for gold and silver are tried in the fire but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation." Happy they that practise these lessons!
Pray for the virtue of patience; strive to acquire it; for it will make all thy sufferings light and easy and entitle them to an eternal reward. Whenever thou art visited with any cross, of what kind soever, always consider it as coming from the hand of God; presently accept and offer it up to Jesus Christ crucified; to be united to His sufferings, to be sanctified through Him, and accepted of by His Father for His own greater glory, and the remission of thy sins. O how happy shalt thou be if, under all thy sufferings, thou make this thy practice!
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Compiled and Edited by Rev. F. X. Lasance
Author of "My Prayerbook," etc.
1937, Benziger Brothers
Printers to the Holy Apostolic See
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