Caput IX. De patientia
The Necessity of Patience
Patience is essential for every human life, enabling us to endure both the injuries inflicted by others and the tribulations that befall us.
In patience, it says in the Gospel, you will possess your souls.✦ XXI, 19).✦ For in every human life patience is necessary. Just as we ought to endure patiently the injuries brought against us by others, so too we must endure patiently the tribulations that will come upon us. Very often in this age good people suffer tribulations from the wicked.
The Testing of Our Motives
God uses tribulations and scourges to test whether our good works are done for His love rather than earthly reward, and Scripture affirms that such testing produces the crown of life.
So if anyone suffers tribulations after good works, they ought not to say to themselves, 'I have lost the good works I was doing.' For whoever says this is known to have done good work not for the love of God, but for the reward of happiness in this life, or for human praise. For a person will be tested by God's scourges — with what spirit they do good, or with what strength they endure the temptations that come upon them. God tests you, the Apostle says, so that he may know whether you love him.✦ Truly, hardship produces patience; and patience is a finished work.✦ Blessed is the one who endures temptation, because once he has been tested he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James✦ 1:3-4).✦
The Strength of Self-Rule
True wisdom requires patience, and the patient person rules their own spirit—seeking the chance to forgive rather than to retaliate.
No one is truly wise who does not have patience. Ruler of one's own spirit is stronger than a conqueror of cities (Prov.✦ 16:32).✦ In patience, what you should be looking for is the chance to forgive, not the opportunity to get even.
True Patience and the Eternal Crown
True patience bravely forgives from the heart rather than biding time for revenge, and those who bear evils patiently will receive an eternal crown.
There are some who patiently endure injuries when they happen, so that afterward they may be able to take revenge more easily. These people don't have true patience. True patience is to endure injuries bravely to one's face, and in the future not to seek revenge, but to forgive from the heart. We can be martyrs without sword or flames, if in our hearts toward our neighbors. It's more praiseworthy to avoid an injury by keeping silent than to overcome it by answering back. Whoever patiently bears evils will merit an eternal crown in the age to come.
Read the original Latin
In patientia vestra, dicitur in Evangelio, possidebitis animas vestras (Luc. XXI, 19). In omni enim vita humana patientia necessaria est. Sicut itaque patienter sufferre debemus injurias ab aliis in nos delatas, ita et patienter tribulationes quae nobis evenient, sufferre necesse est. Saepissime in hoc saeculo boni a reprobis tribulationes patiuntur. Ideo si quislibet post bona opera tribulationes patitur, non debet in cogitatione dicere: Perdidi opera mea bona quae faciebam. Qui enim hoc dixerit, non pro amore Dei, sed pro mercede felicitatis hujus vitae, aut pro laude humana opus bonum fecisse cognoscitur. Probabitur enim homo flagellis Dei, quo animo benefaciat, vel qua fortitudine sufferat tentationes sibi supervenientes.
Tentat enim vos Deus, dicit Apostolus, ut sciat si diligitis eum. Prorsus, tribulatio patientiam operatur, patientia autem opus est perfectum. Beatus enim vir, qui suffert tentationem, quoniam cum probatus fuerit, accipiet coronam vitae, quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se (Jac. I, 3, 4). Nemo bene sapiens est, qui patientiam non habet. Fortior est dominator animi sui expugnatore urbium (Prov. XVI, 32). In patientia vero quaerenda est ignoscendi facultas, non vindicandi opportunitas.
Tales sunt quidam, qui tempore injuriarum patienter sufferunt, ut subsequenter facilius vindicare valeant. Hi veram non habent patientiam. Patientia vera est in faciem fortiter sustinere injurias, et in futuro vindictam non quaerere, sed ex corde ignoscere. Sine ferro vel flammis martyres esse possumus, si patientiam veraciter in animo servamus cum proximis nostris. Laudabilius est injuriam tacendo declinare, quam respondendo superare. Qui patienter tolerat mala, in futuro coronam merebitur sempiternam.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.21.19 — By your endurance you will gain your lives.
- ↩Luke.21.19 — By your endurance you will gain your lives.
- ↩Gen.22.1 — After these things, God tested Abraham. And He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
- ↩Rom.5.3-Rom.5.4 — And not only that, but we also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces endurance. Rom.5.4 — and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
- ↩Jas.1.12 — Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
- ↩Jas.1.3-Jas.1.4 — because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Jas.1.4 — And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
- ↩Prov.16.32 — Better a patient person than a warrior, one who controls their spirit than one who captures a city.
- ↩Prov.16.32 — Better a patient person than a warrior, one who controls their spirit than one who captures a city.
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