"Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains." (James 5:7)
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If we look around us, we find that successful people are the ones who keep on a job. They have a goal in life and they steer toward it. Sometimes they fall on the way; often they find obstacles and they are tempted to give it all up. People laugh at them and make fun of them. But it does not matter; they keep easing ahead and they win.
Many of the handy devices we take for granted today were invented by people who kept on experimenting. Thomas Edison tried out more than 5,000 kinds of wire before he discovered the one which is burning inside your electric bulb today.
We always admire people who go ahead despite hindrances, who keep working under pressure. We admire a team whose hard practice made it a champion. A person swimming a river against the current goes downstream as soon as he stops. It is the same in our life. e have a goal before us – heaven. In order to win it, we must be steady like the sun and the moon, which return each day to perform their same old task. There is virtue in that.
People who are as changeable as clouds, who follow their whims of the moment, are like a boat or car which has lost its steering. It ends up going in circles like a drunken man coming home.
Many of the things we do every day demand perseverance. In walking, talking, eating, reading and writing. We go through the same old motions all the time. But we do not seem to notice it. Why? Because we do one thing at a time, live one day at a time.
When we are learning them, we don’t say to ourselves, "I do not think I can do that for the rest of my life." But we do it, we have done it and we do not notice it. We do not even think about what we do when we eat, talk, walk, read or write. They are automatic with us and anything automatic means doing the same thing over and over again, without thinking. That is called perseverance. [1]
The season of Advent has always been synonymous with "expectant waiting" for something that is about to happen – the anniversary of the birth of Christ. During this time the spirit of anticipation and of longing linger in the air resulting in a joyful hope within everyone’s heart.
When there is a spirit of expectation, there is a need to practice patience as the Scriptural snippet above advises us. Besides, perseverance is actually one of the fundamental virtues that a disciple of Christ possesses. Hence, we are all to practice it, if we are serious in following the Lord.
Our commentary for today also recounts the beneficial results of persistence in humanity. We practice the virtue of perseverance when we go about our daily lives with determination and continual awareness of God’s purpose in our lives, and when we steadfastly face life’s responsibilities while at the same time, working at building God’s kingdom on earth. These things we should continue until the end of our earthly lives.
From another perspective, we practice this virtue of steadfastness when we hang onto expectant hope in our hearts for the conversion of those people we love. We ought to implore the Lord unceasingly for the conversion of sinners, until He touches their hearts. It may take a number of years before the Most High finally bring us the fruit of their spiritual rebirth. We have only to realize that prayer for the conversion of sinners is the Lord’s favorite, and one that is always answered. [2]
It should also be understood that there are times when we experience dryness in our prayers, or an absence of devotion or consolation. Sometimes even great saints before us have felt that God was so far away that they no longer desired to pray anymore. Even so, as the Scriptural snippet tells us, we ought to be patient and continue in prayer until He comes again to bring delight into our souls.
Let us all carry on in our resolve to be tireless in our faith, hope and love for our God and for the good of others. Let us constantly practice the virtue of patience at all times. Let us also pray to the Holy Spirit for the gift of an enduring spirit, not only for this joyous season, but all year long.
Many of the handy devices we take for granted today were invented by people who kept on experimenting. Thomas Edison tried out more than 5,000 kinds of wire before he discovered the one which is burning inside your electric bulb today.
We always admire people who go ahead despite hindrances, who keep working under pressure. We admire a team whose hard practice made it a champion. A person swimming a river against the current goes downstream as soon as he stops. It is the same in our life. e have a goal before us – heaven. In order to win it, we must be steady like the sun and the moon, which return each day to perform their same old task. There is virtue in that.
People who are as changeable as clouds, who follow their whims of the moment, are like a boat or car which has lost its steering. It ends up going in circles like a drunken man coming home.
Many of the things we do every day demand perseverance. In walking, talking, eating, reading and writing. We go through the same old motions all the time. But we do not seem to notice it. Why? Because we do one thing at a time, live one day at a time.
When we are learning them, we don’t say to ourselves, "I do not think I can do that for the rest of my life." But we do it, we have done it and we do not notice it. We do not even think about what we do when we eat, talk, walk, read or write. They are automatic with us and anything automatic means doing the same thing over and over again, without thinking. That is called perseverance. [1]
The season of Advent has always been synonymous with "expectant waiting" for something that is about to happen – the anniversary of the birth of Christ. During this time the spirit of anticipation and of longing linger in the air resulting in a joyful hope within everyone’s heart.
When there is a spirit of expectation, there is a need to practice patience as the Scriptural snippet above advises us. Besides, perseverance is actually one of the fundamental virtues that a disciple of Christ possesses. Hence, we are all to practice it, if we are serious in following the Lord.
Our commentary for today also recounts the beneficial results of persistence in humanity. We practice the virtue of perseverance when we go about our daily lives with determination and continual awareness of God’s purpose in our lives, and when we steadfastly face life’s responsibilities while at the same time, working at building God’s kingdom on earth. These things we should continue until the end of our earthly lives.
From another perspective, we practice this virtue of steadfastness when we hang onto expectant hope in our hearts for the conversion of those people we love. We ought to implore the Lord unceasingly for the conversion of sinners, until He touches their hearts. It may take a number of years before the Most High finally bring us the fruit of their spiritual rebirth. We have only to realize that prayer for the conversion of sinners is the Lord’s favorite, and one that is always answered. [2]
It should also be understood that there are times when we experience dryness in our prayers, or an absence of devotion or consolation. Sometimes even great saints before us have felt that God was so far away that they no longer desired to pray anymore. Even so, as the Scriptural snippet tells us, we ought to be patient and continue in prayer until He comes again to bring delight into our souls.
Let us all carry on in our resolve to be tireless in our faith, hope and love for our God and for the good of others. Let us constantly practice the virtue of patience at all times. Let us also pray to the Holy Spirit for the gift of an enduring spirit, not only for this joyous season, but all year long.
End Notes for this Bible Sharing
1. "A Thought for Today" by Frank Mihalic, SVD, "Perseverance," pp. 75-76, Logos Publications Inc., Manila, 2001.
2. "Divine Mercy In My Soul" by St. Faustina Kowalska, n. 1397, p. 498, Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01623. 1999. Imprimatur.
2. "Divine Mercy In My Soul" by St. Faustina Kowalska, n. 1397, p. 498, Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Stockbridge, MA 01623. 1999. Imprimatur.
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