Patience

Pain is a blessing that God sends upon the elect; therefore, do not become troubled when you suffer; instead, bless Almighty God, who through the pain of this world has marked you out for glory in heaven.

Be patient. Patience too is a form of charity and you must practice the law of charity taught by Christ, the envoy of God. The charity that consists in giving alms to the poor is the easiest of all charities. There is another kind, however, that is much more burdensome, and, consequently, more meritorious:  forgiving those whom God has placed on our path to be instruments of our suffering and to put our patience to the test.

Life is difficult, I  know. It  is composed of a thousand nothings, which are pinpricks that end up hurting us. But we must consider the duties imposed on us, the consolations and compensations we receive in return, and then we will see that the blessings are more numerous than the sorrows. The burden seems less heavy when we look to heaven than when our brow is bent toward the ground.

Courage, my friends; Christ is your model. He suffered more than any of you and had nothing for which to reproach himself, whereas you have your past to expiate and to strengthen you for the future. So be patient; be Christian – this word sums up everything.

A Spirit Friend (Havre, 1862)