A dear friend and brother in the Faith has recently asked me when I intend to get back on my blog. I have not written about anything in a while, except for some required "home work" for my Dominican formation. I have a draft of some reflections about my writing hiatus which I will post here soon. But for now, I'd like to post a timely message which I came across almost serendipitously!
I have chosen the above blog post title because I think I have been "bugging" the Lord too much for a certain prayer request I still have not received a clear answer to. Patience does not come by too easily, and I beg Him for the grace to be able to bear it all for love of Him!
Wisdom from the Saints:
I was reading through some quotations by some saints, which I have compiled for future use. I am tasked at work to post something about the holy men and women of God, if possible, on a daily basis, except perhaps on ferial days. Before I post, I verify these quotations by going through several related articles, which of course, I get from Google.
While checking on a quotation from Saint Vincent de Paul, I read a letter he penned on April 25, 1659 for Father Guillaume Desdame, a missionary.
Saint Vincent de Paul, was a French Roman Catholic priest, the great apostle of Charity, who founded several religious congregations that belong to the Vincentian Family. This is an excerpt of that letter:
"God’s works are not regulated by our plans and wishes. We should be content with making the best of the few talents He has placed in our hands, and not distress ourselves about having more or greater ones. If we are faithful in that which is little, He will place us over that which is great. That, however, must come from Him, and not the result of our efforts. Let us leave it to Him and curl ourselves up in our shells...
The spirit of the world is restless, and wishes to do everything. Let us leave it to itself. Let us have no desire to choose our own paths, but walk in those which God may be pleased to prescribe for us. Let us regard ourselves unworthy that He should make use of us, or that others should think of us, and then all will be well with us. Let us offer ourselves to Him to do and to suffer all things for His glory and the establishment of his Church. He asks for nothing else. If he desires results, they rest with Him and not with us.
Let us courageously extend the confines of our heart and will in His presence..."
A prayer for Patience
(From ourcatholicprayers.com)
Teach me, my Lord to be sweet and gentle in all the events of my life, in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. Let me forget myself so that I may enjoy the happiness of others. Let me always hide my little pains and heartaches so that I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden or embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable; that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow or proud or overbearing. May no one be less good for having come within my influence; no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble, for having been a fellow traveller with me on our journey towards eternal life. As I meet with one cross after another, let me whisper a word of love to You. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. Amen.
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