The Good of Patience
by St Cyprian of Carthage
St Cyprian was born in Carthage (present day Tunis in North Africa) around the year 200, and became its bishop. He was a staunch defender of the faith and ecclesiastical discipline.
In developing the theme of his famous work “The Good of Patience,” St Cyprian follows his usual scheme: quotation from Scripture, commentary on it, and application of the lesson to the present circumstances.
He suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Emperor Valerian in the year 254.
Patience, a Critical Weapon for the Struggle
1 In speaking of patience, beloved brethren, and in preaching on its benefits, I begin by requesting your patience. Patience is necessary for you to be able to listen to me now; you could not listen and learn without this virtue. The word of God, the way of salvation, is effectively learned only if one listens with patience to what is being said.
We Christians must be subject to the precepts of the Lord with an obedient zeal and personal commitment. The Lord wants us to be consistent with our faith and hope; thus, we should struggle throughout our lives to make these virtues a reality.
Thus, among all the weapons available for the struggle, I do not find any other more preferable, more useful for life, or more vital for attaining glory, than patience.
Christian Patience and Pagan Patience
St Cyprian establishes the difference between the pagan concept of patience and the Christian view of it. For a Christian, patience has its origin in God.
2 Pagan scholars declare that they also pursue this virtue, but their patience is as false as their wisdom. For how can anyone be wise and patient unless he knows that wisdom and patience come from God?
God himself warns us against those who think that they are wise in this world: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject” (1 Cor 1:19).
The blessed Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, was sent to call and form the Gentiles in the faith. He declares: “Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some secondhand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ. For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead” (Col 2:8-9). And he says in another place: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks he is wise, let him become foolish in the eyes of this world so that he may become wise; for the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. It is written, ‘The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts; he knows how useless they are;’ and again, ‘God knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are foolish’“ (1 Cor 3:18-19). If their wisdom is false, their patience is also false.
A humble and meek person is also patient. We see that the pagan scholars are not humble or meek, but very indulgent with themselves; they displease God by the very fact that they please themselves. It is evident that patience cannot be found together with the arrogant boldness of a false freedom, or the shameless boasting of a proud scholar.
The Source of Patience
3 We, however, beloved brethren, are wise not in words but in deeds. We show our wisdom not by academic gown, but by truth. We know about virtues by practicing them, not by boasting of them. We do not merely speak of great things, but, rather, live them.
As servants and worshippers of God, we owe him this tribute: To show in our conduct the patience we learn from his teachings. Yes, we have this virtue in common with God. Patience has its beginnings in God; he is absolutely patient. God plants patience in our soul, increases it, and makes it gain splendor and dignity. God is its source and author.
Man should love a quality so dear to God. The Divine Majesty recommends us this good which he loves. If God is our Master and our Father, let us imitate his patience; a servant must be obedient to his master, and a son must be worthy of his father.
How Patient Is God?
4 How immense and remarkable is the patience of God! He patiently endures the pagan temples, earthly idols, and idolatrous rites that have been set up by men; these are an insult to God’s majesty and honor.
God makes the day to rise, and the sun to shine equally over the good and the evil. When he waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from his benefits; he bestows his rains without distinction on the just and the unjust.
We see that God uses an equal patience toward the guilty and the innocent, the religious and the materialistic, the grateful and the ungrateful. At God’s Will, the seasons obey and the elements serve, the winds blow, the fountains flow, the fields offer grain in abundance, the fruits of the vines ripen, the trees are laden with fruit, the groves become green, and the meadows burst into flower.
Although God is provoked by frequent—-yes—-even continual offenses, he tempers his anger and patiently waits for the day of reckoning, which he has long scheduled. Although immediate vengeance is in his power, he prefers to be long-suffering and compassionate. He waits for man to stop his long course of malice, if it is at all possible. However deeply one is infected with the diseases of error and crime, God waits for man to change, at some time, and be converted to Him, even at a late hour.
“I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ez 18:32). And again: “Return to the Lord your God, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).
The blessed apostle Paul calls back the sinner to penance by reminding him: “Are you abusing his abundant goodness, patience and tolerance, not realizing that this goodness of God is meant to lead you to repentance? Your stubborn refusal to repent is only adding to the anger God will have towards you on that day of anger, when his just judgments will be made known. He will repay each one as his works deserve” (Rom 2:4-6).
He says that the judgment of God is just, because it is delayed; it is postponed for a long time, so that care and thought may be taken for man’s eternal life by the long enduring patience of God. Punishment is finally paid by the unfaithful and the sinner when there is no longer possibility of repentance of the sin.
Attain Our Goal by Imitating God’s Patience
5 By revealing the divine wisdom, and by giving salutary precepts, the Lord instructed his disciples to live a holy life. He placed patience among the attributes of God, and proclaimed that whoever is gentle, patient, and meek imitates God the Father. Thus, patience was noted as necessary to reach perfection.
To illuminate this more fully, beloved brethren, the Lord made this pronouncement: “You have heard that it was said: `Thou shalt love thy neighbor and shalt hate thy enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven, who makes the sun to rise on the good and evil and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the Gentiles do that? You, therefore, must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:43-48).
He said it. If the patience of God the Father abides in us, if this aspect of divine likeness which Adam lost by his sin shines in our actions, we, the children of God, are made perfect. By patience we are restored to life—a heavenly birth; and by patience we will attain our goal.
It is glorious to become like God. It is wonderful and delightful to possess virtues similar to the divine attributes.
Jesus’ Patience
After explaining the origin of Christian patience, Cyprian shows how Christ and the saints lived this virtue.
6 Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, said that he came down to do the Will of his Father (cf. Jn 6:38); he gave proof of his divine nature and filiation by showing his abundance of majesty, power, and virtue. Among these virtues, Jesus embodied and exemplified his Father’s patience by his habitual self-control. He did not teach patience by words only; he taught it also by deeds.
From the outset of his coming from the sublimity of heaven to the earth, Jesus’ every act was marked by an accompanying patience:
- Though he was the Son of God, Jesus did not disdain to put on man’s flesh; though he was not a sinner, he bore the sins of others (1 Pet 2:24);
- Having put aside his immortality for a time, he became mortal to be slain for the salvation of the guilty, though he was innocent (cf. Mt 1:21);
- Though destined to grant the remission of sins, the Lord was baptized by his servant, and had his own body cleansed with the water of regeneration (Mt 3:13);
- He, who feeds us all, fasted for forty days; he who felt hunger, fills with the Bread of heaven those hungry for the word of God and grace;
- The Lord was engaged in conflict with the devil, who tempted him, but, having vanquished so formidable an enemy, he did not carry the fight beyond words (Mt 4:1);
- Jesus did not rule over his disciples as a master rules over his slaves, but, being kind and gentle, he loved them as a brother;
- Being such a Master to his servants, he even deigned to wash the feet of his apostles; thus, he taught them what attitude a servant should have toward his companions (Jn 13:1 ff);
- We should not wonder, then, how he tolerated Judas, even to the end, with enduring patience. Our Lord knew who was the foe within the household, but ate with him, and did not expose him (Jn 13:2); he did not even refuse the kiss of his betrayer (Mt 26:48);
- Our Lord showed a marvelous equanimity in bearing with the Jews, and an amazing patience in persuading the unbelieving to accept the faith;
- Jesus won the ungrateful by kindness, responded gently to those who contradicted him, endured the proud with patience, yielded with humility to persecutors, wished to win over the murderers of the prophets, and those persistently rebellious against God even up to the very hour of his passion and Cross.
7 In the hour of his passion and Cross, before his jailers came to the cruel act of his slaughter and the shedding of his blood, our Lord listened to their violent abuses with patience and endured their shameful insults.
- The Lord was even covered with spittle by his torturers (Mt 26:67), though, shortly before, he had cured the eyes of the blind man with his own spittle (Mk 8:23);
- He suffered the lash, though, in his name, his servants now scourge the devil and the damned angels (Jn 19:1);
- He was crowned with thorns, though he now crowns the martyrs with eternal laurels (Mt 27:29);
- He was beaten in the face with hostile palms, though he now gives true palms to the victors (Mt 26:67);
- He was stripped of his garments, though he clothes all others with the garment of immortality (Jn 19:23);
- He was fed with gall, though he now gives us the food of heaven (Mt 27:34);
- He was given vinegar to drink, though he now offers us the cup of salvation (Lk 23:36);
- He was counted among criminals, though he is the innocent, the just, nay, Innocence Itself and Justice Itself (Mt 27:38);
- He was accused by false witnesses, though he is Truth.
He who is to judge was judged, and the Word of God, silent, was led to the Cross. The stars were confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, the elements were disturbed, the earth trembled, night blotted out the day (Mt 27:45), the sun withdrew its rays and eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of the Jews, yet Jesus did not speak, move, or proclaim his majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endured all things even to the end with constant perseverance; a full and perfect patience found in him its realization.
8 After such sufferings, Jesus still receives sinners–his murderers–if they are converted and come to him. With the same patience he used to redeem man, this kind Master offers salvation to all; he closes his Church to no one. He receives those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of his name, provided they do penance for their offense, provided they acknowledge the crime committed. He does not only receive and pardon, but admits them to the reward of the kingdom of heaven.
Who can be more patient, who more kind? Even those who caused the blood of Christ to flow are given life by the blood of Christ. Such is the wonderful patience of Christ.
And look at the results; because of Christ’s patience with sinners and persecutors, the Church now has Paul as a great Apostle.
A Christian Must Live as Jesus Did
If Christ is the model of patience, every Christian must imitate this aspect of the Master.
9 Beloved brethren, let us follow in the footsteps of Christ. If we are in Christ, if we put him on, if we are identified with him, if he himself is our way of salvation, let us be consistent and live as he did. John the Apostle teaches so: “Whoever claims to live in him, must walk as Jesus did” (1 Jn 2:6). Likewise Peter, on whom the Lord founded his Church, writes in his letter: “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ He was insulted, and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:21-23).
The Saints Were Patient in Their Sufferings
10 The patriarchs, the prophets, and all those who imitated Christ, kept their patience with a strong and stable serenity.
So Abel, the first holy man who suffered martyrdom, did not resist or struggle against his brother; with humble and gentle patience, he allowed himself to be killed (Gen 4).
Abraham, trusting God and being the first to establish the root of faith, was tested; he was given to choose between God’s Will and his own. He did not hesitate or delay but obeyed the command of God with full and devoted patience. Prefiguring our Lord as the victim, Isaac was patient when he was placed on the altar by his father to be sacrificed (cf Gen 22).
When Jacob was driven away from his own land by Esau, his brother, he departed patiently. Afterward, with greater patience, he humbly requested peace by means of gifts; he restored the harmony with his impious brother and persecutor (Gen 28 and 33).
Joseph, sold by his brothers and banished, not only patiently forgave but even generously and kindly gave them free grain when they came to him (Gen 37 and 45).
Moses was often scorned by an ungrateful people and almost stoned, and yet with mildness and patience he prayed to the Lord in their behalf (Nm 14 and 9).
A great example of Christian patience is found in David, from whom Christ descended according to the flesh. David many times had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him. Yet, when Saul was in his hands, David preferred to spare his life; he did not retaliate upon his enemy; on the contrary, he avenged him when Saul was killed in battle (2 Sam 1).
Many prophets have been killed, many martyrs have been honored with glorious deaths, and all have attained their heavenly crowns through patience. A crown for suffering is obtained only when there is patience in that suffering.
All Men Must Be Patient
11 At the beginning of the world and of the human race, Adam was unmindful of God’s command and he violated it (Gen 3:17). Beloved brethren, we are also born to struggle here under trials and conflicts; let us now consider the judgment of God upon Adam, to see how necessary patience is, and how patient we must be in this world.
“To Adam, God said: ‘Because you have listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat.
‘Accursed be the soil because of you.
With suffering shall you get your food from it
every day of your life.
It shall yield you brambles and thistles,
and you shall eat wild plants.
With sweat on your brow
shall you eat your bread,
until you return to the soil,
as you were taken from it.
For dust you are
and to dust you shall return’“ (Gen 3:17-19).
We are all fastened by the bond of this sentence until we leave this world. With suffering and toil we must work every day of our life. And we must earn our bread with sweat and labor.
A Christian Must Be Patient
Patience is necessary in the life of a Christian, at all times, in physical, moral, and spiritual issues. St Cyprian urges us to practice this virtue with sweetness, gentleness, strength, and persuasiveness. These are also the marks of true patience.
12 When a man is born and enters this world, he begins with tears. Inexperienced and ignorant of all things, he can do nothing else at his birth except weep. With natural foresight, he anticipates the anxieties of this mortal life; by weeping, his young soul testifies to the trials he is going to encounter. For he will toil and labor as long as he lives here. And nothing else can relieve those who labor and toil more than the consolation derived from patience.
Patience is necessary for everyone in this world, but even more for us, who want to follow Christ closely. We need more patience for the following reasons:
- We are more harassed by the onslaughts of the devil;
- Fighting daily on battlefront, we are wearied by our struggle against an old and well-trained enemy;
- In addition to the constant attacks of personal temptations, we suffer persecution, and, often, have to relinquish our wealth;
- We frequently have to bear chains and endure prison;
- We often have to undergo the sword, wild beasts, fire, the cross, all kinds of tortures and punishments, and finally give up our lives.
Thus, we need to rely on our faith and on the virtue of patience; the Lord himself teaches: “These things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have affliction. But take courage, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).
We have renounced the devil and the world; thus, we will suffer the attacks of the devil and the world more frequently and more violently. In this struggle, we absolutely need to maintain patience as our helper and companion, to endure all afflictions.
Persevere until the End
13 It is a precept from our Lord and Master: “He who has persevered until the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22). And again: “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn 8:31-32). Having been given hope and a foretaste of truth and liberty, we must be patient and persevere, beloved brethren, until we finally attain the full Truth and Freedom in God.
The very fact that we are Christians is a source of faith and hope; we are in the way of salvation. But patience is needed for faith and hope to reach maturity and bear fruit. We do not strive for a present glory, but for a future one. As Paul the Apostle teaches: “Through hope we are saved. But a hope that is seen is not hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it with patience” (Rom 8:24-25).
Patient waiting is necessary to accomplish, with God’s help, what we have begun; to obtain what we hope for and believe.
The same Apostle teaches us to do good works and store for ourselves treasures in heaven, but to be patient also. He says: “While we have the chance, we must do good for all, but especially for our brothers in the faith. We must never be tired of doing good, for if we persevere in the struggle we shall reap our harvest at the proper time” (Gal 6:10.9).
He does not want anyone to tire of doing good works through a lack of patience; he does not want anyone, overcome by temptations, to stop in the middle of the race toward heaven. Past merits would be lost for such a man, and whatever good he has begun would become imperfect. As it is written: “The integrity of an upright man will not save him once he has chosen to sin” (Ez 33:12). And again: “Hold firmly to what you already have, and let nobody take your crown away from you” (Apoc 3:11). These words urge patient and resolute perseverance. We fight for a crown, and our victory is already near; we will be crowned if we suffer with patience.
Patience, a Defense against Temptations
14 Patience, beloved brethren, makes us preserve what is good in us, and repel what is evil. A patient man maintains a constant dialogue with the Holy Spirit and chooses always what is pleasing to God. When his soul is stormed, he struggles, using his virtues as a shield, against the temptations of the mind and the flesh.
Chief among these temptations are, impurity, dishonesty, and homicide; the rest may be deduced. These actions are mortal sins.
When our patience is strong and deeply rooted in our soul, our body, a temple of God, becomes holy and we are not corrupted by impurity; with child-like love for justice, we are not infected by dishonesty; and our hands, which have held the Eucharist, are not soiled by the blood-stained sword of violence.
Patience and Charity
15 Charity is the bond of fraternity, and the foundation of peace; it gives steadfastness and firmness to the bond of unity among us. Charity is greater than faith and hope (cf. 1 Cor 13:13). Good works and sufferings done out of charity are more excellent than those done with faith but without charity. As an eternal virtue, charity will remain with us forever in the kingdom of heaven.
Our charity should be accompanied by patience. Take away patience, and thus abandoned, charity will not last. Take away charity, the substance of endurance and tolerance, and patience, having no roots or strength, will not last.
St Paul, speaking about charity, joined patience to it: “Charity is patient and kind, it does not envy; charity is not boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Charity is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes” (1 Cor 13:4,5,7). Thus, he showed that charity can last only when one has learned to endure all things.
And in another place he says: “Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together” (Eph 4:2-3). He confirmed that one needs patience to grow in the virtue of charity, to preserve unity and peace with one’s brothers, and to maintain the bond of fraternity.
Do Not Render Evil for Evil
16 We Christians are told not to swear or curse, not to seek again what has been taken away from us (cf. Lk 6:30); on receiving a blow to offer the other cheek also to our assailant (cf. Mt 5:39); to forgive a brother who offends us not only seventy times seven, but all his offenses without exception (cf. Mt 18:21,22); to love our enemies, and to pray for our persecutors (cf. Mt 18:21,22). We need a constant patience to endure these offenses.
We see what happened to Stephen, the first martyr among many who were to come. When the Jews were stoning him to death, he did not ask for vengeance but forgiveness for his murderers: “O Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (cf. Act 7:58-60). The first martyr for Christ was not only a preacher of the Lord’s sufferings but also an imitator of Jesus’ patient gentleness.
A Christian does not fall into anger, strife, or altercation. If he is patient, these evil passions do not enter his heart; or if they enter, they are quickly driven out. His heart continues to be peaceful, a temple where the God of peace is pleased to dwell.
Accordingly, the Apostle teaches us: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, who has marked you with his seal for the day of redemption. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or slander anyone, or allow any form of malice” (Eph 4:30,31). A Christian is a person who has withdrawn from the fury and attacks of the flesh as from the storms of the sea, and has begun to be tranquil and gentle in the harbor of Christ; he should not admit into his heart anger or quarrel. It is wrong for a Christian to render evil for evil, or to hate.
How to Face Hardships
17 Everyone is often attacked by the devil with snares and oppressed by his flesh with unrelenting harassment; thus, patience is necessary to fight against these temptations of the flesh and the devil.
Ever since Adam disobeyed God’s command, moral strength departed from us with the loss of immortality; weakness entered the body with the sentence of death. We will not regain our moral strength until we acquire immortality. Thus, we need to keep on struggling in this present state of bodily weakness; and this fight can not be sustained without the strength of patience.
Various kinds of hardships are imposed on us to test us; many forms of temptations are inflicted upon us to prove us. We may lose our property, our health, meet an accident, or suffer the death of dear ones. How should we react?
In adversity, the wicked man complains and blasphemes because of his impatience, while the man seeking sanctity is steeled by his patience; thus, it is written: “Whatever happens to you, accept it; in crushing misfortune, be patient; for gold is tested in fire, and chosen men in the crucible of humiliation” (Sirach 2:4-5). Nothing else distinguishes better the holy man from the wicked.
Job’s Endurance
18 Job was tried, passed the test, and was raised to the pinnacle of praise because of his patience. How many weapons the devil hurled against him! How many torments he inflicted on him! A wealthy man and a father of a large family, Job suffered the loss of his property, and was left without children. Festering wounds covered his body, and a scourge of worms devoured his decaying limbs. And to leave no torment untried, the devil even used an ancient device of his wickedness: He armed Job’s wife against him, as if he could deceive and cheat every man through a woman, as he did in the beginning.
Nevertheless, Job was not broken by these continuous assaults; in spite of these trials and afflictions, he was praised by God for his victorious patience.
After his magnificent work of justice and mercy, Tobias was also tempted by the loss of his eyes; he endured his blindness with composure, and gained merit with God through his patience.
The Consequences of Impatience
19 Beloved brethren, consider how much evil impatience causes, so that the good of patience may shine forth in you more brightly.
Just as patience is a good of Christ, impatience is an evil of Satan. Just as the man in whom Christ lives is patient, the man full of the wickedness of the devil is impatient.
Consider the origins of impatience; the devil reacted with impatience against the announcement that man was made in the image of God. For this reason, he was the first to perish, and constantly causes others to perish.
In violation of the heavenly command, Adam did not resist the desire of the forbidden food, and fell into the death of sin; impatient, he did not preserve the grace received from God.
Cain was impatient of his brother’s sacrifices, and killed him (cf. Gen 4:5). Impatient for the lentils, Esau put lower things before higher, and lost his birthright (cf. Gen 25:29-34).
Why were the Jewish people unfaithful and ungrateful toward the divine blessings? Was it not because of their impatience that they went away from God? When they could not bear the delay of Moses speaking with God in Mount Sinai, they demanded a man-made god; they proclaimed a golden calf, an earthly image, as the guide of their journey (cf. Ex 32). They never rid themselves of the fault of impatience; always impatient of the divine teaching and guidance, they killed all their prophets and just men; they hastened to the Cross and to the shedding of the Blood of the Lord.
Impatience also produces heretics in the Church, rebels against the peace and charity of Christ; it drives them to hostile acts and furious hates, after the manner of the Jews. In sum, while patience turns all our works and sufferings into glory, impatience reduces them to ruin.
Patience Permeates Every Aspect of a Christian’s Struggle
Patience is the pith and marrow of St Cyprian’s concept of Christianity.
20 Beloved brethren, we have seen the benefits of patience and the evils of impatience; let us, then, be patient; thus, we will abide in Christ and, with Christ, will come to God.
Patience, rich and manifold, should not be applied only to a narrow set of activities, or restricted to deeds of small extent; it should influence everything we do. Beginning as a single stream of grace, the virtue of patience spreads into rivers flowing through many glorious courses. No action of ours deserves the full amount of merit if it is not permeated by patience; if it is not watered and kept alive by one of these rivers.
Patience makes us acceptable to God and saves us for God. It tempers anger, bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards the peace, imposes order and discipline in our lives, defeats the assaults of lust, suppresses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of conflict, restrains the abuse of power of the wealthy, and gives the poor fortitude to struggle through difficult circumstances.
Patience defends the blessed integrity of virgins, the exacting chastity of widows, and the indivisible love of husbands and wives. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, meek in the face of insults.
Patience teaches us to pardon quickly those who offend us; it compels us to ask for pardon when we offend others. It helps us to defeat temptations, to withstand persecutions, to endure sufferings and martyrdom to the end. This same patience strongly strengthens the foundations of our faith, and promotes the growth of hope. It directs us to continue struggling along the way of Christ, God the Son, imitating His long-suffering patience; it ensures our perseverance as sons of God, while we imitate the patience of God the Father.
Wait until the Day of Future Deliverance
21 Beloved brethren, we find ourselves tossed about by the violent storms of a turbulent world; we are torn in the midst of persecutions of the Jews, the Gentiles, and the heretics. I know that many of us, suffering violence, are enraged against those who attack us; many of us, distressed by injustices, feel resentment toward the wrongdoers; and many wish to be quickly avenged. I must warn you, before I close, that we should patiently await the day of deliverance.
We should not rush to avenge our pain with an angry speed, since it is written: “Wait for me, says the Lord, for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms, and to pour out my wrath on them–all my fierce anger” (Zp 3:8).
The Lord commands us to wait and to endure with a strong patience the day of future deliverance. He says in the Apocalypse: “Do not keep the prophecies in this book a secret, because the time is near. Meanwhile let the sinner go on sinning, and the unclean continue to be unclean; let those who do good go on doing good, and those who are holy continue to be holy. Very soon now, I shall be with you again, bringing the reward to be given to every man according to what he has done” (Apoc 22:10-12).
Even as they cry out and are hustled off to the torture, the martyrs are still ordered to wait and to show patience in their suffering until the appointed time is fulfilled and the number of martyrs is completed. “When he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of all the people who had been killed on account of the word of God, for witnessing to it. They shouted aloud, ‘Lord, Holy and True, how much longer will you wait before you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little longer, until the number was complete and their fellow servants and brothers had been killed just as they had been” (Apoc 6:9-11).
22 Through the prophet Malachi, the Holy Spirit describes the day of the divine retribution for the blood of the just: “Behold the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or a branch will be left to them” (Mal 4:1).
Likewise, the psalms declare that the coming of God, the Judge, must be awaited with awe, because of the majesty of his judgment: “God our God comes, he keeps silence no longer. A fire burns before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above and the earth, to his people’s trial: ‘Assemble my faithful before me who sealed my covenant by sacrifice!’ The heavens proclaim his justice, for he, God, is the judge” (Ps 50:3-6).
Isaiah describes the same judgment: “Lo, the Lord shall come in fire, his chariots like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For in the fire of the Lord they will be judged and by his sword they will be wounded” (Is 66:15-16). And again: “The Lord will advance like a hero, his fury will be stirred like a warrior’s. With a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies. For a long time I have been quiet and held myself back; shall I be silent always?” (Is 42:13-14).
God Will Demand Retribution
23 Who is telling us that He had been silent, but will not be silent forever?
— The One who was led like a lamb to the slaughter and who, as a sheep silent before its shearers, did not open his mouth” (cf. Is 53:7);
- The One who did not shout and whose voice was not heard in the streets;
- The One who was not rebellious;
- The One who offered his back to those who scourged him, and his cheeks to those who plucked his beard; who did not cover his face against blows, insults, and spittle (cf. Is 42:2; 50:5-6);
- The One who, accused by the priests and the whole Sanhedrin, answered nothing in his defense (cf. Mt 26:63); the One who, to the amazement of Pilate, kept a most patient silence (cf. Mt 27:14).
Although silent in his Passion, he will not be silent in the day of reckoning. He is our God; the God not recognized by all but only by the faithful, who believe in him. Although he was hidden in humility in his first coming, he will manifest himself in power in his Second Coming. Then, he will not be silent.
24 This is the Judge and the Avenger, beloved brethren, whom we are to await. He will come to demand a heavy reckoning for his sufferings, for the sufferings of the people of his Church, and of all the just from the beginning of the world.
No one should hasten and hurry too much to demand his own revenge; Jesus, who alone will settle the accounts, has not yet avenged himself.
God the Father commanded that his Son should be adored. Mindful of the divine precept, the Apostle Paul declares: “God exalted him to the highest place, and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus all beings, in the heavens, on earth, and under the earth, should bend the knee” (Phil 2:9-10).
In the Apocalypse, when John wishes to adore the Angel, he resists him and remarks: “Don’t do that; I am a servant, just like you and like your brothers the prophets, and like those who treasure what you have written in this book. Adore Jesus the Lord” (Apoc 22:9).
See how wonderful is Jesus, our Lord, and what great patience he has; he is adored in heaven, yet, he has not been avenged on earth.
Beloved brethren, in our persecutions and sufferings, let us think of Jesus’ patience. Let us show a full submission to God’s Will, an acceptance of trials consistent with our expectation of his coming.
Let us not be anxious to shorten the length of our sufferings; we need not defend ourselves before the Lord, like an unfaithful and shameless slave trying to lessen his work. Rather, let us persevere and work.
Let us guard the precepts of the Lord, be watchful with our heart, and be generous in our sacrifice, even to the total acceptance of God’s Will. When the day of reckoning comes, we will not be punished together with the unfaithful and sinners, but be honored with the just and those who fear God.
In developing the theme of his famous work “The Good of Patience,” St Cyprian follows his usual scheme: quotation from Scripture, commentary on it, and application of the lesson to the present circumstances.
He suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Emperor Valerian in the year 254.
Patience, a Critical Weapon for the Struggle
1 In speaking of patience, beloved brethren, and in preaching on its benefits, I begin by requesting your patience. Patience is necessary for you to be able to listen to me now; you could not listen and learn without this virtue. The word of God, the way of salvation, is effectively learned only if one listens with patience to what is being said.
We Christians must be subject to the precepts of the Lord with an obedient zeal and personal commitment. The Lord wants us to be consistent with our faith and hope; thus, we should struggle throughout our lives to make these virtues a reality.
Thus, among all the weapons available for the struggle, I do not find any other more preferable, more useful for life, or more vital for attaining glory, than patience.
Christian Patience and Pagan Patience
St Cyprian establishes the difference between the pagan concept of patience and the Christian view of it. For a Christian, patience has its origin in God.
2 Pagan scholars declare that they also pursue this virtue, but their patience is as false as their wisdom. For how can anyone be wise and patient unless he knows that wisdom and patience come from God?
God himself warns us against those who think that they are wise in this world: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject” (1 Cor 1:19).
The blessed Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, was sent to call and form the Gentiles in the faith. He declares: “Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some secondhand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ. For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead” (Col 2:8-9). And he says in another place: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks he is wise, let him become foolish in the eyes of this world so that he may become wise; for the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. It is written, ‘The Lord knows wise men’s thoughts; he knows how useless they are;’ and again, ‘God knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are foolish’“ (1 Cor 3:18-19). If their wisdom is false, their patience is also false.
A humble and meek person is also patient. We see that the pagan scholars are not humble or meek, but very indulgent with themselves; they displease God by the very fact that they please themselves. It is evident that patience cannot be found together with the arrogant boldness of a false freedom, or the shameless boasting of a proud scholar.
The Source of Patience
3 We, however, beloved brethren, are wise not in words but in deeds. We show our wisdom not by academic gown, but by truth. We know about virtues by practicing them, not by boasting of them. We do not merely speak of great things, but, rather, live them.
As servants and worshippers of God, we owe him this tribute: To show in our conduct the patience we learn from his teachings. Yes, we have this virtue in common with God. Patience has its beginnings in God; he is absolutely patient. God plants patience in our soul, increases it, and makes it gain splendor and dignity. God is its source and author.
Man should love a quality so dear to God. The Divine Majesty recommends us this good which he loves. If God is our Master and our Father, let us imitate his patience; a servant must be obedient to his master, and a son must be worthy of his father.
How Patient Is God?
4 How immense and remarkable is the patience of God! He patiently endures the pagan temples, earthly idols, and idolatrous rites that have been set up by men; these are an insult to God’s majesty and honor.
God makes the day to rise, and the sun to shine equally over the good and the evil. When he waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from his benefits; he bestows his rains without distinction on the just and the unjust.
We see that God uses an equal patience toward the guilty and the innocent, the religious and the materialistic, the grateful and the ungrateful. At God’s Will, the seasons obey and the elements serve, the winds blow, the fountains flow, the fields offer grain in abundance, the fruits of the vines ripen, the trees are laden with fruit, the groves become green, and the meadows burst into flower.
Although God is provoked by frequent—-yes—-even continual offenses, he tempers his anger and patiently waits for the day of reckoning, which he has long scheduled. Although immediate vengeance is in his power, he prefers to be long-suffering and compassionate. He waits for man to stop his long course of malice, if it is at all possible. However deeply one is infected with the diseases of error and crime, God waits for man to change, at some time, and be converted to Him, even at a late hour.
“I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” (Ez 18:32). And again: “Return to the Lord your God, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).
The blessed apostle Paul calls back the sinner to penance by reminding him: “Are you abusing his abundant goodness, patience and tolerance, not realizing that this goodness of God is meant to lead you to repentance? Your stubborn refusal to repent is only adding to the anger God will have towards you on that day of anger, when his just judgments will be made known. He will repay each one as his works deserve” (Rom 2:4-6).
He says that the judgment of God is just, because it is delayed; it is postponed for a long time, so that care and thought may be taken for man’s eternal life by the long enduring patience of God. Punishment is finally paid by the unfaithful and the sinner when there is no longer possibility of repentance of the sin.
Attain Our Goal by Imitating God’s Patience
5 By revealing the divine wisdom, and by giving salutary precepts, the Lord instructed his disciples to live a holy life. He placed patience among the attributes of God, and proclaimed that whoever is gentle, patient, and meek imitates God the Father. Thus, patience was noted as necessary to reach perfection.
To illuminate this more fully, beloved brethren, the Lord made this pronouncement: “You have heard that it was said: `Thou shalt love thy neighbor and shalt hate thy enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven, who makes the sun to rise on the good and evil and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the Gentiles do that? You, therefore, must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:43-48).
He said it. If the patience of God the Father abides in us, if this aspect of divine likeness which Adam lost by his sin shines in our actions, we, the children of God, are made perfect. By patience we are restored to life—a heavenly birth; and by patience we will attain our goal.
It is glorious to become like God. It is wonderful and delightful to possess virtues similar to the divine attributes.
Jesus’ Patience
After explaining the origin of Christian patience, Cyprian shows how Christ and the saints lived this virtue.
6 Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, said that he came down to do the Will of his Father (cf. Jn 6:38); he gave proof of his divine nature and filiation by showing his abundance of majesty, power, and virtue. Among these virtues, Jesus embodied and exemplified his Father’s patience by his habitual self-control. He did not teach patience by words only; he taught it also by deeds.
From the outset of his coming from the sublimity of heaven to the earth, Jesus’ every act was marked by an accompanying patience:
- Though he was the Son of God, Jesus did not disdain to put on man’s flesh; though he was not a sinner, he bore the sins of others (1 Pet 2:24);
- Having put aside his immortality for a time, he became mortal to be slain for the salvation of the guilty, though he was innocent (cf. Mt 1:21);
- Though destined to grant the remission of sins, the Lord was baptized by his servant, and had his own body cleansed with the water of regeneration (Mt 3:13);
- He, who feeds us all, fasted for forty days; he who felt hunger, fills with the Bread of heaven those hungry for the word of God and grace;
- The Lord was engaged in conflict with the devil, who tempted him, but, having vanquished so formidable an enemy, he did not carry the fight beyond words (Mt 4:1);
- Jesus did not rule over his disciples as a master rules over his slaves, but, being kind and gentle, he loved them as a brother;
- Being such a Master to his servants, he even deigned to wash the feet of his apostles; thus, he taught them what attitude a servant should have toward his companions (Jn 13:1 ff);
- We should not wonder, then, how he tolerated Judas, even to the end, with enduring patience. Our Lord knew who was the foe within the household, but ate with him, and did not expose him (Jn 13:2); he did not even refuse the kiss of his betrayer (Mt 26:48);
- Our Lord showed a marvelous equanimity in bearing with the Jews, and an amazing patience in persuading the unbelieving to accept the faith;
- Jesus won the ungrateful by kindness, responded gently to those who contradicted him, endured the proud with patience, yielded with humility to persecutors, wished to win over the murderers of the prophets, and those persistently rebellious against God even up to the very hour of his passion and Cross.
7 In the hour of his passion and Cross, before his jailers came to the cruel act of his slaughter and the shedding of his blood, our Lord listened to their violent abuses with patience and endured their shameful insults.
- The Lord was even covered with spittle by his torturers (Mt 26:67), though, shortly before, he had cured the eyes of the blind man with his own spittle (Mk 8:23);
- He suffered the lash, though, in his name, his servants now scourge the devil and the damned angels (Jn 19:1);
- He was crowned with thorns, though he now crowns the martyrs with eternal laurels (Mt 27:29);
- He was beaten in the face with hostile palms, though he now gives true palms to the victors (Mt 26:67);
- He was stripped of his garments, though he clothes all others with the garment of immortality (Jn 19:23);
- He was fed with gall, though he now gives us the food of heaven (Mt 27:34);
- He was given vinegar to drink, though he now offers us the cup of salvation (Lk 23:36);
- He was counted among criminals, though he is the innocent, the just, nay, Innocence Itself and Justice Itself (Mt 27:38);
- He was accused by false witnesses, though he is Truth.
He who is to judge was judged, and the Word of God, silent, was led to the Cross. The stars were confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, the elements were disturbed, the earth trembled, night blotted out the day (Mt 27:45), the sun withdrew its rays and eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of the Jews, yet Jesus did not speak, move, or proclaim his majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endured all things even to the end with constant perseverance; a full and perfect patience found in him its realization.
8 After such sufferings, Jesus still receives sinners–his murderers–if they are converted and come to him. With the same patience he used to redeem man, this kind Master offers salvation to all; he closes his Church to no one. He receives those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of his name, provided they do penance for their offense, provided they acknowledge the crime committed. He does not only receive and pardon, but admits them to the reward of the kingdom of heaven.
Who can be more patient, who more kind? Even those who caused the blood of Christ to flow are given life by the blood of Christ. Such is the wonderful patience of Christ.
And look at the results; because of Christ’s patience with sinners and persecutors, the Church now has Paul as a great Apostle.
A Christian Must Live as Jesus Did
If Christ is the model of patience, every Christian must imitate this aspect of the Master.
9 Beloved brethren, let us follow in the footsteps of Christ. If we are in Christ, if we put him on, if we are identified with him, if he himself is our way of salvation, let us be consistent and live as he did. John the Apostle teaches so: “Whoever claims to live in him, must walk as Jesus did” (1 Jn 2:6). Likewise Peter, on whom the Lord founded his Church, writes in his letter: “Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ He was insulted, and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:21-23).
The Saints Were Patient in Their Sufferings
10 The patriarchs, the prophets, and all those who imitated Christ, kept their patience with a strong and stable serenity.
So Abel, the first holy man who suffered martyrdom, did not resist or struggle against his brother; with humble and gentle patience, he allowed himself to be killed (Gen 4).
Abraham, trusting God and being the first to establish the root of faith, was tested; he was given to choose between God’s Will and his own. He did not hesitate or delay but obeyed the command of God with full and devoted patience. Prefiguring our Lord as the victim, Isaac was patient when he was placed on the altar by his father to be sacrificed (cf Gen 22).
When Jacob was driven away from his own land by Esau, his brother, he departed patiently. Afterward, with greater patience, he humbly requested peace by means of gifts; he restored the harmony with his impious brother and persecutor (Gen 28 and 33).
Joseph, sold by his brothers and banished, not only patiently forgave but even generously and kindly gave them free grain when they came to him (Gen 37 and 45).
Moses was often scorned by an ungrateful people and almost stoned, and yet with mildness and patience he prayed to the Lord in their behalf (Nm 14 and 9).
A great example of Christian patience is found in David, from whom Christ descended according to the flesh. David many times had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him. Yet, when Saul was in his hands, David preferred to spare his life; he did not retaliate upon his enemy; on the contrary, he avenged him when Saul was killed in battle (2 Sam 1).
Many prophets have been killed, many martyrs have been honored with glorious deaths, and all have attained their heavenly crowns through patience. A crown for suffering is obtained only when there is patience in that suffering.
All Men Must Be Patient
11 At the beginning of the world and of the human race, Adam was unmindful of God’s command and he violated it (Gen 3:17). Beloved brethren, we are also born to struggle here under trials and conflicts; let us now consider the judgment of God upon Adam, to see how necessary patience is, and how patient we must be in this world.
“To Adam, God said: ‘Because you have listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat.
‘Accursed be the soil because of you.
With suffering shall you get your food from it
every day of your life.
It shall yield you brambles and thistles,
and you shall eat wild plants.
With sweat on your brow
shall you eat your bread,
until you return to the soil,
as you were taken from it.
For dust you are
and to dust you shall return’“ (Gen 3:17-19).
We are all fastened by the bond of this sentence until we leave this world. With suffering and toil we must work every day of our life. And we must earn our bread with sweat and labor.
A Christian Must Be Patient
Patience is necessary in the life of a Christian, at all times, in physical, moral, and spiritual issues. St Cyprian urges us to practice this virtue with sweetness, gentleness, strength, and persuasiveness. These are also the marks of true patience.
12 When a man is born and enters this world, he begins with tears. Inexperienced and ignorant of all things, he can do nothing else at his birth except weep. With natural foresight, he anticipates the anxieties of this mortal life; by weeping, his young soul testifies to the trials he is going to encounter. For he will toil and labor as long as he lives here. And nothing else can relieve those who labor and toil more than the consolation derived from patience.
Patience is necessary for everyone in this world, but even more for us, who want to follow Christ closely. We need more patience for the following reasons:
- We are more harassed by the onslaughts of the devil;
- Fighting daily on battlefront, we are wearied by our struggle against an old and well-trained enemy;
- In addition to the constant attacks of personal temptations, we suffer persecution, and, often, have to relinquish our wealth;
- We frequently have to bear chains and endure prison;
- We often have to undergo the sword, wild beasts, fire, the cross, all kinds of tortures and punishments, and finally give up our lives.
Thus, we need to rely on our faith and on the virtue of patience; the Lord himself teaches: “These things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have affliction. But take courage, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).
We have renounced the devil and the world; thus, we will suffer the attacks of the devil and the world more frequently and more violently. In this struggle, we absolutely need to maintain patience as our helper and companion, to endure all afflictions.
Persevere until the End
13 It is a precept from our Lord and Master: “He who has persevered until the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22). And again: “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn 8:31-32). Having been given hope and a foretaste of truth and liberty, we must be patient and persevere, beloved brethren, until we finally attain the full Truth and Freedom in God.
The very fact that we are Christians is a source of faith and hope; we are in the way of salvation. But patience is needed for faith and hope to reach maturity and bear fruit. We do not strive for a present glory, but for a future one. As Paul the Apostle teaches: “Through hope we are saved. But a hope that is seen is not hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it with patience” (Rom 8:24-25).
Patient waiting is necessary to accomplish, with God’s help, what we have begun; to obtain what we hope for and believe.
The same Apostle teaches us to do good works and store for ourselves treasures in heaven, but to be patient also. He says: “While we have the chance, we must do good for all, but especially for our brothers in the faith. We must never be tired of doing good, for if we persevere in the struggle we shall reap our harvest at the proper time” (Gal 6:10.9).
He does not want anyone to tire of doing good works through a lack of patience; he does not want anyone, overcome by temptations, to stop in the middle of the race toward heaven. Past merits would be lost for such a man, and whatever good he has begun would become imperfect. As it is written: “The integrity of an upright man will not save him once he has chosen to sin” (Ez 33:12). And again: “Hold firmly to what you already have, and let nobody take your crown away from you” (Apoc 3:11). These words urge patient and resolute perseverance. We fight for a crown, and our victory is already near; we will be crowned if we suffer with patience.
Patience, a Defense against Temptations
14 Patience, beloved brethren, makes us preserve what is good in us, and repel what is evil. A patient man maintains a constant dialogue with the Holy Spirit and chooses always what is pleasing to God. When his soul is stormed, he struggles, using his virtues as a shield, against the temptations of the mind and the flesh.
Chief among these temptations are, impurity, dishonesty, and homicide; the rest may be deduced. These actions are mortal sins.
When our patience is strong and deeply rooted in our soul, our body, a temple of God, becomes holy and we are not corrupted by impurity; with child-like love for justice, we are not infected by dishonesty; and our hands, which have held the Eucharist, are not soiled by the blood-stained sword of violence.
Patience and Charity
15 Charity is the bond of fraternity, and the foundation of peace; it gives steadfastness and firmness to the bond of unity among us. Charity is greater than faith and hope (cf. 1 Cor 13:13). Good works and sufferings done out of charity are more excellent than those done with faith but without charity. As an eternal virtue, charity will remain with us forever in the kingdom of heaven.
Our charity should be accompanied by patience. Take away patience, and thus abandoned, charity will not last. Take away charity, the substance of endurance and tolerance, and patience, having no roots or strength, will not last.
St Paul, speaking about charity, joined patience to it: “Charity is patient and kind, it does not envy; charity is not boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Charity is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes” (1 Cor 13:4,5,7). Thus, he showed that charity can last only when one has learned to endure all things.
And in another place he says: “Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness, and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together” (Eph 4:2-3). He confirmed that one needs patience to grow in the virtue of charity, to preserve unity and peace with one’s brothers, and to maintain the bond of fraternity.
Do Not Render Evil for Evil
16 We Christians are told not to swear or curse, not to seek again what has been taken away from us (cf. Lk 6:30); on receiving a blow to offer the other cheek also to our assailant (cf. Mt 5:39); to forgive a brother who offends us not only seventy times seven, but all his offenses without exception (cf. Mt 18:21,22); to love our enemies, and to pray for our persecutors (cf. Mt 18:21,22). We need a constant patience to endure these offenses.
We see what happened to Stephen, the first martyr among many who were to come. When the Jews were stoning him to death, he did not ask for vengeance but forgiveness for his murderers: “O Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (cf. Act 7:58-60). The first martyr for Christ was not only a preacher of the Lord’s sufferings but also an imitator of Jesus’ patient gentleness.
A Christian does not fall into anger, strife, or altercation. If he is patient, these evil passions do not enter his heart; or if they enter, they are quickly driven out. His heart continues to be peaceful, a temple where the God of peace is pleased to dwell.
Accordingly, the Apostle teaches us: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, who has marked you with his seal for the day of redemption. Never have grudges against others, or lose your temper, or raise your voice to anybody, or call each other names, or slander anyone, or allow any form of malice” (Eph 4:30,31). A Christian is a person who has withdrawn from the fury and attacks of the flesh as from the storms of the sea, and has begun to be tranquil and gentle in the harbor of Christ; he should not admit into his heart anger or quarrel. It is wrong for a Christian to render evil for evil, or to hate.
How to Face Hardships
17 Everyone is often attacked by the devil with snares and oppressed by his flesh with unrelenting harassment; thus, patience is necessary to fight against these temptations of the flesh and the devil.
Ever since Adam disobeyed God’s command, moral strength departed from us with the loss of immortality; weakness entered the body with the sentence of death. We will not regain our moral strength until we acquire immortality. Thus, we need to keep on struggling in this present state of bodily weakness; and this fight can not be sustained without the strength of patience.
Various kinds of hardships are imposed on us to test us; many forms of temptations are inflicted upon us to prove us. We may lose our property, our health, meet an accident, or suffer the death of dear ones. How should we react?
In adversity, the wicked man complains and blasphemes because of his impatience, while the man seeking sanctity is steeled by his patience; thus, it is written: “Whatever happens to you, accept it; in crushing misfortune, be patient; for gold is tested in fire, and chosen men in the crucible of humiliation” (Sirach 2:4-5). Nothing else distinguishes better the holy man from the wicked.
Job’s Endurance
18 Job was tried, passed the test, and was raised to the pinnacle of praise because of his patience. How many weapons the devil hurled against him! How many torments he inflicted on him! A wealthy man and a father of a large family, Job suffered the loss of his property, and was left without children. Festering wounds covered his body, and a scourge of worms devoured his decaying limbs. And to leave no torment untried, the devil even used an ancient device of his wickedness: He armed Job’s wife against him, as if he could deceive and cheat every man through a woman, as he did in the beginning.
Nevertheless, Job was not broken by these continuous assaults; in spite of these trials and afflictions, he was praised by God for his victorious patience.
After his magnificent work of justice and mercy, Tobias was also tempted by the loss of his eyes; he endured his blindness with composure, and gained merit with God through his patience.
The Consequences of Impatience
19 Beloved brethren, consider how much evil impatience causes, so that the good of patience may shine forth in you more brightly.
Just as patience is a good of Christ, impatience is an evil of Satan. Just as the man in whom Christ lives is patient, the man full of the wickedness of the devil is impatient.
Consider the origins of impatience; the devil reacted with impatience against the announcement that man was made in the image of God. For this reason, he was the first to perish, and constantly causes others to perish.
In violation of the heavenly command, Adam did not resist the desire of the forbidden food, and fell into the death of sin; impatient, he did not preserve the grace received from God.
Cain was impatient of his brother’s sacrifices, and killed him (cf. Gen 4:5). Impatient for the lentils, Esau put lower things before higher, and lost his birthright (cf. Gen 25:29-34).
Why were the Jewish people unfaithful and ungrateful toward the divine blessings? Was it not because of their impatience that they went away from God? When they could not bear the delay of Moses speaking with God in Mount Sinai, they demanded a man-made god; they proclaimed a golden calf, an earthly image, as the guide of their journey (cf. Ex 32). They never rid themselves of the fault of impatience; always impatient of the divine teaching and guidance, they killed all their prophets and just men; they hastened to the Cross and to the shedding of the Blood of the Lord.
Impatience also produces heretics in the Church, rebels against the peace and charity of Christ; it drives them to hostile acts and furious hates, after the manner of the Jews. In sum, while patience turns all our works and sufferings into glory, impatience reduces them to ruin.
Patience Permeates Every Aspect of a Christian’s Struggle
Patience is the pith and marrow of St Cyprian’s concept of Christianity.
20 Beloved brethren, we have seen the benefits of patience and the evils of impatience; let us, then, be patient; thus, we will abide in Christ and, with Christ, will come to God.
Patience, rich and manifold, should not be applied only to a narrow set of activities, or restricted to deeds of small extent; it should influence everything we do. Beginning as a single stream of grace, the virtue of patience spreads into rivers flowing through many glorious courses. No action of ours deserves the full amount of merit if it is not permeated by patience; if it is not watered and kept alive by one of these rivers.
Patience makes us acceptable to God and saves us for God. It tempers anger, bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards the peace, imposes order and discipline in our lives, defeats the assaults of lust, suppresses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of conflict, restrains the abuse of power of the wealthy, and gives the poor fortitude to struggle through difficult circumstances.
Patience defends the blessed integrity of virgins, the exacting chastity of widows, and the indivisible love of husbands and wives. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, meek in the face of insults.
Patience teaches us to pardon quickly those who offend us; it compels us to ask for pardon when we offend others. It helps us to defeat temptations, to withstand persecutions, to endure sufferings and martyrdom to the end. This same patience strongly strengthens the foundations of our faith, and promotes the growth of hope. It directs us to continue struggling along the way of Christ, God the Son, imitating His long-suffering patience; it ensures our perseverance as sons of God, while we imitate the patience of God the Father.
Wait until the Day of Future Deliverance
21 Beloved brethren, we find ourselves tossed about by the violent storms of a turbulent world; we are torn in the midst of persecutions of the Jews, the Gentiles, and the heretics. I know that many of us, suffering violence, are enraged against those who attack us; many of us, distressed by injustices, feel resentment toward the wrongdoers; and many wish to be quickly avenged. I must warn you, before I close, that we should patiently await the day of deliverance.
We should not rush to avenge our pain with an angry speed, since it is written: “Wait for me, says the Lord, for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms, and to pour out my wrath on them–all my fierce anger” (Zp 3:8).
The Lord commands us to wait and to endure with a strong patience the day of future deliverance. He says in the Apocalypse: “Do not keep the prophecies in this book a secret, because the time is near. Meanwhile let the sinner go on sinning, and the unclean continue to be unclean; let those who do good go on doing good, and those who are holy continue to be holy. Very soon now, I shall be with you again, bringing the reward to be given to every man according to what he has done” (Apoc 22:10-12).
Even as they cry out and are hustled off to the torture, the martyrs are still ordered to wait and to show patience in their suffering until the appointed time is fulfilled and the number of martyrs is completed. “When he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of all the people who had been killed on account of the word of God, for witnessing to it. They shouted aloud, ‘Lord, Holy and True, how much longer will you wait before you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little longer, until the number was complete and their fellow servants and brothers had been killed just as they had been” (Apoc 6:9-11).
22 Through the prophet Malachi, the Holy Spirit describes the day of the divine retribution for the blood of the just: “Behold the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or a branch will be left to them” (Mal 4:1).
Likewise, the psalms declare that the coming of God, the Judge, must be awaited with awe, because of the majesty of his judgment: “God our God comes, he keeps silence no longer. A fire burns before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above and the earth, to his people’s trial: ‘Assemble my faithful before me who sealed my covenant by sacrifice!’ The heavens proclaim his justice, for he, God, is the judge” (Ps 50:3-6).
Isaiah describes the same judgment: “Lo, the Lord shall come in fire, his chariots like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For in the fire of the Lord they will be judged and by his sword they will be wounded” (Is 66:15-16). And again: “The Lord will advance like a hero, his fury will be stirred like a warrior’s. With a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies. For a long time I have been quiet and held myself back; shall I be silent always?” (Is 42:13-14).
God Will Demand Retribution
23 Who is telling us that He had been silent, but will not be silent forever?
— The One who was led like a lamb to the slaughter and who, as a sheep silent before its shearers, did not open his mouth” (cf. Is 53:7);
- The One who did not shout and whose voice was not heard in the streets;
- The One who was not rebellious;
- The One who offered his back to those who scourged him, and his cheeks to those who plucked his beard; who did not cover his face against blows, insults, and spittle (cf. Is 42:2; 50:5-6);
- The One who, accused by the priests and the whole Sanhedrin, answered nothing in his defense (cf. Mt 26:63); the One who, to the amazement of Pilate, kept a most patient silence (cf. Mt 27:14).
Although silent in his Passion, he will not be silent in the day of reckoning. He is our God; the God not recognized by all but only by the faithful, who believe in him. Although he was hidden in humility in his first coming, he will manifest himself in power in his Second Coming. Then, he will not be silent.
24 This is the Judge and the Avenger, beloved brethren, whom we are to await. He will come to demand a heavy reckoning for his sufferings, for the sufferings of the people of his Church, and of all the just from the beginning of the world.
No one should hasten and hurry too much to demand his own revenge; Jesus, who alone will settle the accounts, has not yet avenged himself.
God the Father commanded that his Son should be adored. Mindful of the divine precept, the Apostle Paul declares: “God exalted him to the highest place, and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus all beings, in the heavens, on earth, and under the earth, should bend the knee” (Phil 2:9-10).
In the Apocalypse, when John wishes to adore the Angel, he resists him and remarks: “Don’t do that; I am a servant, just like you and like your brothers the prophets, and like those who treasure what you have written in this book. Adore Jesus the Lord” (Apoc 22:9).
See how wonderful is Jesus, our Lord, and what great patience he has; he is adored in heaven, yet, he has not been avenged on earth.
Beloved brethren, in our persecutions and sufferings, let us think of Jesus’ patience. Let us show a full submission to God’s Will, an acceptance of trials consistent with our expectation of his coming.
Let us not be anxious to shorten the length of our sufferings; we need not defend ourselves before the Lord, like an unfaithful and shameless slave trying to lessen his work. Rather, let us persevere and work.
Let us guard the precepts of the Lord, be watchful with our heart, and be generous in our sacrifice, even to the total acceptance of God’s Will. When the day of reckoning comes, we will not be punished together with the unfaithful and sinners, but be honored with the just and those who fear God.