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TominAdelaide
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Some good quotes on the virtue of patience:
Ven Louis of Granada (Summa of the Christian Life):
The gift of knowledge represses anger, which is usually accompanied by folly, as it is written: “Be not quicky angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.” (Eccl. 7:9) He who has the gift of knowledge understands that he must not be angry at those who have unjustly offended him, but that he must treat them as one treats children, the sick, or the mentally ill. Thus parents, friends or doctors are the objects of much abuse and recrimination, but they suffer it all with patience, and will even endure much more until the sick have regained their health or the demented have been restored to sanity.
St Ambrose (On the Duties of the Clergy):
So, then, you should also guard your humility. But if you are unwilling to appear too humble, you think like this, saying to yourself, “Am I supposed to let this man despise me, and say such things to my face against me, as though I could not open my mouth in front of him? Why should I not also say something to grieve him? Am I supposed to let him do me wrong, as though I were not a man, and as though I could not avenge myself? Is he to bring charges against me as though I could not bring together worse ones against him?” Whoever speaks like this is not gentle and humble, nor is he without temptation. The tempter stirs him up, and himself puts such thoughts in his heart. Quite often, too, the evil spirit employs another person, and gets him to say such things to him; but you should set your foot firm on the rock. Even if a slave is abusing him, let the just man be silent, and if a weak man speaks insults, let him be silent, and if a poor man should make accusations, let him not answer. These are the weapons of the just man, so that he may conquer by giving way, as those skilled in throwing the javelin win by giving way, and in flight wound their pursuers with harder blows.
St Basil (Homily against Anger):
How, then, can the passion of anger avoid being directed toward what it must avoid? How? It can if you are taught beforehand the humility which the Lord both prescribed in word and modelled in action, at one time saying, “Let the one who wishes to be first among you be last of all” (cf. Mt 9:35), and at another time, meek and unmoved, bearing with the one who struck him. (Jn 18, 22:23) For the Maker and Master of heaven and earth, who is worshipped by all the intelligible and sense perceptible creation, who “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Heb 1:8), did not send him alive into Hades, with the earth cleft beneath the impious one. Rather, he admonished and taught, “If I have spoken evilly, bear witness regarding the evil; but if I have spoken well, why do you strike me?” (Jn 18:23) For if you have been accustomed to being last of all in accord with the commandment of the Lord, when will you be irritated at having your dignity affronted? … Therefore, “Cease from anger, and leave behind temper.” (Ps 37:8)
Ven Louis of Granada (Summa of the Christian Life):
The gift of knowledge represses anger, which is usually accompanied by folly, as it is written: “Be not quicky angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.” (Eccl. 7:9) He who has the gift of knowledge understands that he must not be angry at those who have unjustly offended him, but that he must treat them as one treats children, the sick, or the mentally ill. Thus parents, friends or doctors are the objects of much abuse and recrimination, but they suffer it all with patience, and will even endure much more until the sick have regained their health or the demented have been restored to sanity.
St Ambrose (On the Duties of the Clergy):
So, then, you should also guard your humility. But if you are unwilling to appear too humble, you think like this, saying to yourself, “Am I supposed to let this man despise me, and say such things to my face against me, as though I could not open my mouth in front of him? Why should I not also say something to grieve him? Am I supposed to let him do me wrong, as though I were not a man, and as though I could not avenge myself? Is he to bring charges against me as though I could not bring together worse ones against him?” Whoever speaks like this is not gentle and humble, nor is he without temptation. The tempter stirs him up, and himself puts such thoughts in his heart. Quite often, too, the evil spirit employs another person, and gets him to say such things to him; but you should set your foot firm on the rock. Even if a slave is abusing him, let the just man be silent, and if a weak man speaks insults, let him be silent, and if a poor man should make accusations, let him not answer. These are the weapons of the just man, so that he may conquer by giving way, as those skilled in throwing the javelin win by giving way, and in flight wound their pursuers with harder blows.
St Basil (Homily against Anger):
How, then, can the passion of anger avoid being directed toward what it must avoid? How? It can if you are taught beforehand the humility which the Lord both prescribed in word and modelled in action, at one time saying, “Let the one who wishes to be first among you be last of all” (cf. Mt 9:35), and at another time, meek and unmoved, bearing with the one who struck him. (Jn 18, 22:23) For the Maker and Master of heaven and earth, who is worshipped by all the intelligible and sense perceptible creation, who “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Heb 1:8), did not send him alive into Hades, with the earth cleft beneath the impious one. Rather, he admonished and taught, “If I have spoken evilly, bear witness regarding the evil; but if I have spoken well, why do you strike me?” (Jn 18:23) For if you have been accustomed to being last of all in accord with the commandment of the Lord, when will you be irritated at having your dignity affronted? … Therefore, “Cease from anger, and leave behind temper.” (Ps 37:8)
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