waiting in patience
My Dear Friends,
Tis the season of hope! We are awaiting and preparing for Emmanuel, the God who is with us! Two great ways to prepare: restore hope in your heart through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and kindle your hope by attending Lessons and Carols, hosted by Family Catechesis. It always gives me renewed hope to have my own sins forgiven in Confession and to be a mediator of God’s mercy through assisting others to be reconciled to God. Also, watching the little ones: in line for Santa, practicing the Nativity Play, or at Lessons and Carols are great moments for hope to kindled in our hearts. I invite you to participate in both!
This week we are focusing on waiting, not my favorite topic since I am pretty impatient! From my office at the corner of Fellowship and Main, I often hear those horns honking in complaint when someone sits at the light for a bit too long. (Is that helpful?) Recently, I had a chat with someone who grew up in Colorado, came to Philly for school, and returned out West. One of her observations: in Philly people use their horns!
Our reading from the Letter of James (5:7-10) encourages us to be patient like the farmer and to resist the urge to complain. He tells us not to complain about one another, as in finger pointing or gossip or those comments that tear down, but instead “make your hearts firm” even embracing “hardship and patience” as did the prophets of old who waited so long for the Messiah.
In our Gospel (Mt 11:2-11), John the Baptist also seems in a hurry. Although strongly believing in the one who is to come, he asks for evidence. He grows impatient. Are you really the one? John’s messengers are to report what they see:
“The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
Those last words about offense seem to be Jesus’ words for his cousin, and a reminder for any who may be impatient not to take offense at how the Lord chooses to carry out the mystery of the unfolding of his Kingdom.
One of the very meaningful verses that speaks to me is the reminder not to be impatient and seek to hurry the Lord in the unfolding of his plan. Peter puts it this way: “Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you…” (2 Pet 3:14-15)
Peter is saying that the delay in the return of the Lord, called delayed parousia, should be understood as directed toward salvation, that in the intervening time, more souls will come to the Lord and be saved, rather than remain in the darkness and end in Gehenna’s abyss.
As we spend these weeks waiting and preparing, how is your spirit? Do you want to push FFWD on the remote or are you content to be still before the Lord and wait in patience? (Ps 37:7). Spending some quiet time with any of these readings will build that patient attentiveness we long for.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Joel
