The development of our patience skills may one of the hardest things we have to do as humans. I certainly think it is becoming a lost art. A lot of it has to do with the pace of our society. We are always looking for the quickest and fastest in everything. I remember when microwave ovens first appeared and we marveled at their efficiency and quickness. Now I hear folks complain that the microwave is taking too long. Although our time is relatively short on earth it would behoove us to slow our lives down. How often do you feel like you just don't have enough time. Or worse, after someone has passed, do you regret not visiting or talking with them more often. Part of our responsibilities to others is being a good father, mother, sister, brother, friend, etc. That means forming lasting and deep relationships and that takes time. In Psalm 40:1 it says, "I waited, waited for the Lord; who bent down and heard my cry." In Hebrews 10:36 it states, "You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised." In 2 Thessalonians 3:5 it says, "May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ." I could go on and on. The Bible, our instruction manual for living, is full of exhortations about the need for humans to be patient and to build up our endurance. I struggle each day to accomplish this request. The Lord know that we are human and weak and therefore, He is patient with us. I am praying that we all grow in our ability to be patient when it is warranted.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...
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