#hopko

[symphonyofwitnesses]

Patience is a virtue

This Sunday (October 13, 2013), we will hear the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:5-15). The Gospel concludes with these words: "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

Here are a few words about patience from Fr. Thomas Hopko: 

"Too often people embarking on the spiritual life forget that patience is a virtue, and that, because of man’s freedom, the effort to cleanse one’s life from sin is tiresome and long. Everything is expected at once, with little striving and small effort.

Too often, also, people who wish to be patient forget that the virtue is a grace of God and a fruit of the Spirit. They think that they can attain patience with themselves and with others by will power alone; by rationalizations and human considerations. Such people never find peace for their souls."

Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and late rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble… (James 5:7-9)

~ from Fr. Hopko, “Patience”, p. 78-79 in Spirituality (Rainbow Catechism)

[tweedsmag]

"This is a lot to take on, to mull over: a thousand children trapped by a potential lack of imagination. It also occurs to us that we’ve become presumptive, as if we

 understand the power we’ve received, but not the way it can be wielded. For example, can you clone a memory? Can you clone pain or fear, and if so, can you clone a layer over it, say, resilience and courage? If you can, if we can, rather, then why not? Why not clone the truth over the painful lies? Why not clone the innocent lies over the truth? If such is the case, we could clone a children’s hospital, and subsequently clone whatever it takes to not feel upended over all the families milling inside. In our minds, we see Alzheimer’s disappear. We see prosthetics as gangly and as able as arms. We see the elaboration of time, and the way in which we might edit the entire portrait of life, piece by piece, making manual cuts into the film reels of humankind." -Scott Gloden, "Hopko"