De magnis meritis patientiae pro Christo
The Virtue of Patient Silence
The author exhorts the reader to imitate Christ's patient silence and gentle response when facing unjust criticism.
By your patience you will possess your souls.✦ When someone speaks harshly to you or criticizes you unjustly, don't get angry right away or respond with harshness; instead, stay silent or speak humbly, and endure it patiently just as Jesus did. For when he was accused by many, he remained silent, and when he was scourged, he did not murmur.✦ Or if it is necessary to speak and it would be helpful, then respond kindly and teach prudently, just as Christ, when struck by a harsh blow, answered the high priest's servant with words that were upright and gentle.✦ For in this way you build others up more effectively and free yourself from confusion. In every turn of events and in the face of the contradictions of wicked tongues, hold fast to patience, and remain silent and devout in the face of what is brought against you. Consider the progress of your soul in all things and the great merit found in the virtue of patience; it adorns the soul with virtues and leads it to the palm of victory alongside the martyrs. Christ taught this and modeled it through his actions during his Passion.
Finding Rest in God Alone
True peace is found by following Christ's example of humility and placing all hope in God rather than created things.
When the chief priests and the elders of the people accused him, he said nothing. He put into action what he had spoken in words. “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” True rest and secure peace aren't found anywhere except in God alone, in true humility, and in the kind patience through which all adversities are overcome. Let your whole hope, therefore, be in God, not in any creature, small or great, because without God everything is vanity, and with God everything is good.
Read the original Latin
In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras. Quando ergo aliquis dure tibi loquitur aut iniuste te increpaverit: non statim irascaris nec dure respondeas; sed tace aut humiliter loquere: et sustine patienter sicut fecit Iesus. Nam accusatus a multis tacuit: et flagellatus non murmuravit. Aut si opus est loqui et prosit; tunc responde benigne et doce prudenter: sicut Christus dura alapa percussus respondit servo pontificis verbis rectis et mansuetis. Sic enim alios magis aedificas: et te ipsum a confusione liberas. In omni eventu rerum et contradictione linguarum pravarum tene patientiam: et tace pie ad obiecta. Attende profectum animae tuae in omnibus, quam magni meriti sit patientiae virtus; quae ornat animam virtutibus: et ducit ad palmam cum martyribus. Hanc Christus docuit: et factis in passione sexemplificavit.
Cum enim accusaretur a principibus sacerdotum et senioribus populi: nihil respondit. Implevit opere quod dixit sermone. Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde: et invenietis requiem animabus vestris. Non invenitur alicubi requies vera et pax secura; nisi in solo Deo, in vera humilitate et benigna patientia: in qua vincuntur omnia adversa. Sit ergo in Deo tota spes tua; non in aliqua creatura parva vel magna: quia sine Deo omnia vana, et cum Deo omnia bona.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.21.19 — By your endurance you will gain your lives.
- ↩Isa.53.7 — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.
- ↩John.18.23 — Jesus answered him, 'If I have spoken wrongly, testify about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike me?'
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