Did you catch that verse from Sunday’s Second reading? “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. You too must be patient.”
Ah yes, that lovely word: “Patience.” Easy to say, hard to do. Let me count the ways!
Slow drivers in the left lane … a long traffic light when there’s no traffic coming the other way … the mailman isn’t on time … a flight is delayed … you’re next in line at the bank but the tellers are busy with lengthy transactions … the service is slow at the restaurant … someone is looking through their pocketbook or purse trying to make exact change … you’re haunting the UPS tracking system to find out just where your purchase is and then when it’s “On truck for delivery” you wonder where that dang truck is … the pharmacist is taking forever to fill your prescription … the wait is forever in the doctor’s waiting room, and then forever in the exam room … someone is late for an appointment or late picking you up … can you add any more?
All those situations above have one thing in common: they are an affront to my convenience. That’s why we’re impatient … someone is keeping us from doing “more important things.” It’s basically a very self-centered attitude.
On the other hand, when we’re with someone who is truly needy and truly in need of help, more often than not we’re as patient as can be.
So where is God on this continuum? Impatient with our progress, our growth? Or really patient with us because God knows how much we need help? To quote Jesus from another Gospel story: “Go and do likewise.”
Much love … many prayers!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
