GOD'S PATIENCE - 9/27/22 (Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest)

Luke 9:54-56

“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”  Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village.  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092722.cfm

Blessed Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul! We are all called to the life of holiness which is to love God and make Him loved. It's not just about us following God's will. Rather, God desires for us to be instruments for bringing more people to His love. To have a great zeal means that we desire to do all that God wills.  But, what if we misunderstand what having great zeal means? The two disciples of Jesus were frustrated and angry because the people in Samaritan village did not accept Jesus. They suggested that fire should come down from heaven to destroy those who rejected Christ. They probably thought that they were doing God's will, but on the contrary, they were rebuked. Why did Jesus rebuke them? First, let's consider one reason why the disciples thought about it and from here, we can see God's patience. 

Sometimes, we are impatient with one another. The same could be said of the disciples. St. James and St. John may have thought that the Samaritans were hopeless, and they probably did not have the chance of repenting of their sins. Let's not forget that there was also a division between the Jews and the Samaritans. We may think that our own timing of when people should change is always right. But, God's timing is always beyond our understanding. Jesus was patient with the Samaritans, and He knew that they were not yet ready at the time to believe in Him. Even with their rejection, Jesus was merciful, and He did not close the possibility of inviting them to His love. God gave them life, and as such, He always provided many opportunities for them to believe in the Gospel. 

The disciples were rebuked because they did not imitate the mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus. In the same way, we can also receive this rebuke when we realize that we dwell on the mistakes of others without being patient with them. This may happen when some people speak to us, when our spiritual director or priest tells us of what we have done wrong or when God directly speaks to us through our conscience. St. Vincent de Paul was patient with many people. He was helping, not just those who were poor and sick, but he was also an instrument of God's mercy for sinners. St. Vincent de Paul even led many saints to love God even more. Like him, God also calls us to be merciful with other people and to be patient with them. He is reminding us to forgive them of their sins from the bottom of our hearts and to love them completely as done by Jesus Christ. 

It's good that we have the desire for many people to be humble, to practice chastity and to do God's will. But, this doesn't mean that we can just expect for them to change instantly. How about us? What do we feel about ourselves when we see our weaknesses and mistakes? For some, they may think that there is no hope for them which leads to despair. Even though some of us may feel this, let's remember the patience and mercy of God for all of us. He's not just patient and merciful only with others, but also with us. It is through patience that He saves us. If we have the temptations to lose hope, may we find relief in the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. He knew our sins, and He even bore them, but in His mind, His love for us never changed. Like the disciples who continued their journey after being rebuked, Jesus is inviting us to continue our journey with Him to heaven. God is waiting for us to come to Him in the sacraments, especially in the sacrament of confession. He is also listening to our prayers. In our prayers, may we humble ourselves and recognize that we are nothing, and God, in His infinite greatness and mercy, is everything for us. He will help us to be faithful to Him and to do His work because of His patience and mercy. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Life of St. Vincent De Paul:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/september-27--st-vincent-of-paul/

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/