Patience

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be patient, breathe, patience, practice peace, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, trials

In this “serving-a-second” world (thanks to the fast food industry) we have become impatient with anything that takes longer to accomplish than we want to wait. I have that inclination when waiting for hamburgers to cook, sometimes to my detriment. Someone I know refuses to wait in a doctor’s office more than a certain number of minutes for the doctor to appear, regardless of how serious a need has occasioned her appointment or the emergency for someone else that has caused the delay.

Sometimes patience is the only way to get through a longer trial, like an illness or a period of waiting for someone to come home from a military deployment far away. If we do not cultivate a willingness to wait in more or less serious situations in our life, our health can be compromised as a result. There are so many methods known to us these days of practicing peace and calm in times of trouble. It’s as simple as watching your breath…but those methods often fail in times of real stress.

Our country is in a difficult moment as we wait for vote count for national elections to be concluded. (It’s already way beyond what we’re used to. Isn’t there a machine that can tally all those votes???) Nail-biting aside, is there anything we can do to speed things along? The answer is only – of course – “Be patient.” Who knows? We may have enough time to breathe or pray ourselves into acceptance of the results by the time the wait is over.

Another Day

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keep going, Meg Wheatley, patience, perseverance, St. Jude, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is the feast of St. Jude, the Apostle. He has been designated “the saint of desperate or hopeless cases.” I don’t think much about that but I suppose that has something to do with my trust that God is in charge, rather than I, myself. I read something today that made me consider an option to hopelessness – something that keeps me going, I mean. It’s patience. And that’s a growing thing. It seems to be a close relative of perfection; we don’t come into the world with it. Rather, we need to grow into it. Here’s what Meg Wheatley says about patience.

It’s not that we start out patient. We don’t persevere because we are patient people. We become patient people because we have to. There is no choice — the work is endless. Everyday we have to make a choice. Will we give up or will we keep going? When day after day we are willing to keep going we discover, quite to our amazement, that we have become patient. And then we just continue on. Day after day. (Perseverance, p.141)

Think about it. We’re still here, aren’t we? So let’s hear it for another day!

Perseverance

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Meg Wheatley, patience, perseverance, persistence, steadfastness, tenacity, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

As I was reading the “Saint of the Day” entry on http://www.franciscanmedia.org, the word perseverance jumped out at me. Given that we come up against situations almost daily now where that could be the catch phrase, I decided to consult Margaret Wheatley who wrote a whole book under that title. Not surprisingly, I found a reflection on the word—the concept—immediately on page 3. Here then is my simple, but seemingly quite apt, reflection for today.

Meg writes: The word “perseverance” in Latin means “one who sees through to the end,” “one who doesn’t yield.” In English, it describes how we maintain our activity in spite of difficulties. Tenacity, steadfastness, persistence, doggedness — these are all common synonyms.

In Chinese, the character for perseverance is the same as the one used for patience.

Human experience is the story of perseverance. Throughout space and time, humans have persevered. We wouldn’t be here without them.

There you have it: three simple statements to help us through the day. May we all continue to persevere in this time of trial and opportunity.

A Time Like No Other

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assess, coronavirus, Jesus, love, patience, surrender, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

It is not lost on me that we are in a situation – a world crisis – the like of which has never presented itself in the entirety of my life. At the same moment I recognize that we are moving deeper into the season of Lent, a moment of opportunity to come to a more conscious understanding of the meaning of surrender.

I don’t want to talk about the coronavirus because facing it might call me to pay attention in a way that I am unaccustomed to functioning. I cannot, however, disregard all the warnings simply because I am a healthy person. While that is a true fact and I am aware of the great blessing of that reality, I cannot ignore the fact that I am approaching my seventy-second birthday and although I would like to ignore the implications of that in this situation, I do it at my peril. I need to pay attention to what I am eating and how much sleep I’m getting, etc. — if not for my own benefit, for the welfare of the three women with whom I live and for others with whom I interact.

In addition, I need to assess which of my activities I am willing to let go, rather than ignoring the risks because I am not likely to contract the disease. One might not see the connection between the spiritual and practical considerations in such a moment as this but to me it is quite clear.

Patience and love, willingness to surrender for the common good are the virtues needed now by each of us. “What am I willing to surrender?” I ask myself this morning. I would do well to look to the example of Jesus for the answer.

Perseverance

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James, Meg Wheatley, patience, perseverance, persistence, steadfast, tenacity, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

In today’s lectionary readings, we have a section from the beginning of the letter of the apostle James, (ch. 1: 1-11) that speaks of perseverance. It’s a good reminder in these troubled times. What are we to do with our distress and uncertainty? The advice of James is similar to the book of Meg Wheatley entitled simply Perseverance, a book that is filled with helpful thoughts and encouragement. I offer her introductory statements and questions today as the kind of reflection that can keep us on a course of hope. See what you think.

The word “perseverance” in Latin means, “one who sees through to the end,” “one who doesn’t yield.” In English, it describes how we maintain our activity in spite of difficulties. Tenacity, steadfastness, persistence, doggedness — these are all common synonyms.

In Chinese, the character for perseverance is often the same as the one used for patience.

Human experience is the story of perseverance. Throughout space and time, humans have always persevered. We wouldn’t be here without them.

Think of all the people you know — family, friends, strangers — who have just kept going, who didn’t yield, who were tenacious, steadfast, patient.

How would you describe them? What were some of their traits? Their capacities? What was it like to be around them, to listen to their stories?

At the end of their lives, how were they?

Angry? Contented? Cynical? Peaceful?

What do their lives offer you as lessons on how to persevere?

What do we all need to learn from them now?

The Gentleman Saint

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gentleness, patience, quietly, St. Francis de Sales, strength, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Because of the way he went about his life, St. Francis de Sales, whom the Church celebrates today, was known the “Gentleman Saint.” Here are a few of his sayings that bear repeating and reflection.

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”

“When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time.”

“A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship.”

“Have patience with all things, but first of all with yourself.”

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.”

And my favorite: “Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”

It Begins With Me

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accept, hope, Joyce Rupp, patience, Peace, Prayer Seeds, refuge, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, weakness

As I contemplate the tumultuous times in which we live, the words of a familiar song float in. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Do we ever really take that to heart? Joyce Rupp urges me along today toward that goal. Listen.

“Rock and Refuge, Stronghold of Souls, Unshakeable One, infuse your strength into the places where I feel the greatest weakness. Permeate the parts of my life that continually challenge my patience. Increase my ability to accept those who seem to be most unacceptable. Lessen any tendency in my spirit that gives way to a loss of hope. Reinforce an awareness of the daily manifestations of your presence. Boost my spirit when I think I cannot manage what is mine to be and do.” (Prayer Seeds, p. 56)

Blessings on your day.

Perseverance

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Amalek, Hebrews, Joshua, judgment, Moses, patience, Paul, perseverance, prayer, psalm 121, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Timothy

The lectionary readings for this 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time seem like a chain whose links build a good argument for “stick-to-itiveness” (Can that really be a word?!)

First we have Moses and the Israelites in a battle with Amalek which seems rather outrageous. Moses is up at the top of a hill watching the battle led by Joshua. His staff in hand, Moses watches and directs the fight. (Here’s the part that seems rather strange.) “As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel had the better of the fight but when he grew tired Amalek got the advantage.” Happily, Moses had a rock to sit on when his legs got tired and two men to hold up his arms when his arms were giving out, so Israel won the fight. (Perseverance with a little help: yes?)

Next we have Psalm 121 (1-8) with all kinds of encouragement about how “our help is from the Lord,” followed by Paul’s challenge to Timothy (TM 4: 1-2) to “be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient,” advising him specifically to “convince, reprimand and encourage through all patience and teaching.” (That last part — patience and teaching — seems to me the most likely to be effective.)

Finally we have the story of the unjust judge who rendered a decision in favor of the woman whose presence and bothering would not let him rest. His reasoning is weak but the point of the woman’s perseverance is made and drives home the point of all the elements in the chain. Moreover, it seems to me that it all can be summed up by the verse before the gospel that assures us: “The word of God is living and active, discerning reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (HEB 4:12)

Words

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gentleness, patience, perseverance, psalm 146, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Timothy, virtues

There are a lot of words in the USCCB readings for this Sunday. I suppose it would be only fair to choose a balance of difficult – if there be such – and joyful words, but today I am filled with happy gratitude. I am a guest at a lovely, large, friendly house of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Wilton, Connecticut and feel only the warmth of hospitality that fits Psalm 146 where I read: Praise the Lord, my soul! or an alternative response of Alleluia!

What prompted me initially to consider the words was the beginning of the reading from Paul’s first letter to Timothy which held the following advice. Brothers, (but of course he meant “and sisters,”) pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. (1 TM 6:11) That’s a pretty big order but in this house I am certain that the effort Sisters make toward those virtues is all wrapped up in perseverance which is, I believe, all that God desires from all of us.

Today seems a good day to reflect on those six words, saying them aloud looking in a mirror to see how I find each looking back at me and which, if any, appear in shadow today. Perhaps I might then bring the “shadowy” ones into the sunlight that is already shining brightly outside my window. (Remember patience and gentleness are both in the list and God asks only for our best!)

Just A Taste

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compassion, humility, judging others, kindness, love, patience, Scripture, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

There are some days when I find little to comment on from the lectionary readings as I open the US Catholic Bishops’ website. Sometimes, however, there is too much because all the readings are candidates for “Scripture of the Year.” Today is one of those days. The readings are self explanatory but the content calls for reflection with every new line so I choose this morning to offer a smorgasbord of loving advice that just gives a taste of what can be found in the storehouse of the Lord.

Brothers and sisters, put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another…as the Lord has forgiven you. And over all these virtues put on love…(COL 3)

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! (PS 150)

If we love one another, God remains in us and God’s love is brought to perfection in us. Alleluia! (1 JN 4)

To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…Stop judging and you will not be judged…Forgive and you will be forgiven…For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you. (LK 6)