Patience

Sometimes I am weak all I can do is ask my Beloved to grant me the Grace to please Him. 

Suffering Christ (Unknown)

There are so many ways to talk about patience.  Patience is a virtue.  All good things come to those who wait.  My mother used to pray for patience in Arabic when she was feeling particularly troubled, and the translation of the prayer was “Blessed Virgin please grant me patience and mercy and grace.”

The older I become the more patience I find myself in need of.  When I was younger, I could get things done more quickly and take more control over my destiny, that was when I did not need as much patience.  However, the older I become the more patience I find myself needing.  I need more patience because as my children grow older, I find that they have a decreased desire for my wise advice less often.  And I am still young and healthy enough to do what I want to do and in the time that I want to do it.

And yet, even I – in my relative health and prime – can understand the importance of patience.  You see, my father had some very invasive surgery on his knees some time ago.  I remember that after that surgery his period of rehabilitation was extensive.  While he was recovering, I could see – in real time – the amount of effort being required of him to patiently wait for his recovery.  For example, following the surgery he was very slow to walk.  The speed that he was used to walking at was no longer possible because he needed to build strength and endurance so that he would be able to move better in the long run.

This patience was not only demanded of him in terms of his physical speed, but it was also required of him when he was doing the various exercises required of him as part of the rehabilitation to build strength over time.  My eldest son was also required to be patient when he was rehabilitating his shoulder following serious injury and surgery.  And I have had the particular Grace of watching these people apply themselves to strengthening their bodies over time.

And there is a particular Grace in this because it is very hard work.  Not only is there a physical toll on the body, but there is also an emotional toll on the mind where the individual is constantly having to bring themselves back to applying themselves for their end-result.

And I have been reflecting on this today because it is no different – in my mind – to apply yourself to your physical strength than it is to apply yourself to spiritual strength.  And that means that sometimes I need to go slowly.  Sometimes I am weak all I can do is ask my Beloved to grant me the Grace to please Him.  And I have been thinking about that today as I have been praying for patience.  Because it seems to me that patience is the real key – patience…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.