Saturday, February 24, 2007

Lenten Improvements - Patience - Aids and Safeguards

Day 4
The following is taken from Improve: Now is the Acceptable Time! distributed by the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers.
"Want to be patient. Make up your mind that you can be patient. It is the attitude of a defeatist to say 'I have a bad temper-my dad was that way-and I just cannot do anything about it. People will have to put up with me the way I am' You will be about as patient as you want to be.

Pray for patience. As soon as something happens contrary to your will-the baby begins to cry, the water won't get hot, the whipping cream fails to whip and the jello doesn't jell, the grease sputters up in your face while you're frying the meat, a sick person refuses the food you prepare, your TV picture starts to flop over or flutter, the car will not start, you hit your thumb with a hammer, you make a mistake in typing, the boss asks you to take a letter ten minutes before quitting time, you strike out in baseball, miss a one-pin spare in bowling or fail on a foul shot in basketball-when anything along these lines happens, try immediately to say under your breath, 'Mary, please help me, Mary, please help me.' She will. Those six seconds of prayer mean so much.

Strive for humility. Saint Bernard says: 'True patience can only be acquired and preserved through deep humility.' Through humility we see ourselves as we really are, and when we realize how much patience others must have in dealing with us, we learn to be patient with them.

Be Silent. Saint Francis de Sales, a man who fought almost a lifetime against impatience, said, 'I have made a pact with my tongue, that as long as my mind was disturbed my tongue would preserve silence.'

Plan to be Patient. He who is patient today resolved to be patient yesterday. In your morning prayers, why not make a Spiritual Communion and talk over your day with our Lord? Then, surely, you will bear more calmly the irritations of daily living."

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