Christian Patience: The Strength and Discipline of the Soul

THE WORK OF PATIENCE IN THE SOUL.

“The trial of your faith worketh patience. And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.” — ST. JAMES i- 3-4-

THE perfection of the Christian soul consists in that complete and exquisite charity whereby we love God above all things, and our neighbour as ourselves, for the love of God. This love, this charity that perfects the soul, is the sublimest gift that we can receive from God in this our exile, because God Himself is charity, and the life of God is charity. In partaking of His charity, according to our condition and capacity, as St. Peter says, “We aie made partakers of the divine nature,” that is, by a created participation, and are made the children of God. For by charity God lives in us and we in Him. The divine gift of charity is the richest fruit of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in most humble and patient charity gave His life to His Father, not only to deliver us from sin, but to obtain for us the supernatural life of charity. This life is the work of the Holy Spirit of God, dwelling in us, abiding in us, operating in us, uniting our life with the life •of God, and raising our will into a holy co-operation with the unspeakable movements of His divinely given love. “If any one loveth Me,” saith our Lord, “he will keep My commandments, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him.”