PERFECT PATIENCE

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

PERFECT PATIENCE
By Archimandrite Seraphim Papakostas

Through the Apostles James (Iakovos), however, we hear the Holy Spirit command: "Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." In other words He requires not simple, but PERFECT PATIENCE, which is able to present the Christian perfect and mature and fully developed in virtue. So then, what is PERFECT PATIENCE?

It is that patience which covers the breadth and depth. Let us explain:

We Christians who indeed endure one kind of affliction, like sickness, let us say, or the death of a loved one, but they can’t stand privation and are shocked by the phantom of poverty…Their kind of patience lacks the required breadth. It is not only imperfect, but inexcusable, because today’s endurance of sickness is succeeded by tomorrow’s impatience and lack of faith which push them into sin. We see other who endure not only sickness and death, but privation and poverty as well, but still they can’t stand an insult of an injustice, under any circumstances. Nor can they endure adversity or extended persecution. Once again, their patience, because it lacks the required breadth, isn’t perfect, because PERFECT PATIENCE COVERS EVERY KIND OF AFFLICTION, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AND INCLUDES EVERY TESTING.

Next, perfect patience has the required depth. When, for example, a Christian is insulted or treated unjustly, but doesn’t seek revenge, doesn’t hold a grudge, doesn’t maintain hatred and hostility, he surely shows patience, but not perfect patience, because perfect patience is when he proceeds to the full depth. PERFECT PATIENCE IS WHEN THE WRONGED PERSON NOT ONLY DOESN’T RETURN THE SAME, BUT ALSO DOES GOOD FOR HIS WRONGDOER– WHEN HE RETURNS GOOD INSTEAD OF EVIL–WHEN HE IS READY TO INCLUDE HIS WRONGDOER IN HIS CIRCLE OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS, as soon as the wrongdoer sincerely wants it. Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to endure the, just as He endures us. This then, is perfect patience, which possesses all the depth and breadth.

Now don’t say that such patience isn’t needed by every Christian. Because we call it perfect patience, it doesn’t mean that only a few exceptional people need to attain it. On the contrary, it is essential for every Christian, every day of his/her life. The reason is obvious. First of all, you cannot solve the great problem of pain, if you do not try to attain perfect patience. If, here on earth, we are supposed to suffer only one kind of pain, to demonstrate patience only for tha, then of course, we do not need perfect patience. But since we are likely to be tried by a variety of afflictions, A PATIENCE WHICH EXHAUSTS ALL THE BREADTH IS REQUIRED. Secondly, imperfect patience is able to destroy everything that you have done up to now, and or drown you in sin.

However, all that is well and good, but were there ever Christians who achieved perfect patience? Or is the teaching about perfect patience only theoretical?

Indeed. We do not find perfect patience only in the Person of Christ, Who endured every kind of pain, ridicule, suffering, even on the Cross, prayed for those who crucified Him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." We will find it in the first martyrdom of one of the first Christians, Saint Stefanos (Stephen). Kneeling down as they stoned him, he prayed: "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." We will find it in the Apostle Paul, who, in describing the perfect patience of his fellow Apostles, says: "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat."

We will also find it in the Christians of Alexandria. During the persecutions they treated the degraded pagans kindly at the risk of their lives. But what pagans? Those who persecuted them and drove them to martyrdom. The history of the Saints down through the centuries shows a multitude of examples of perfect patience. Our own experience testifies that there are also such examples all around us.

Such then, is perfect patience, Christian patience, Let us now see the value of patience. The position which patience occupies in the value chart of Christian virtues proves it to be a precious virtue of the highest worth. God Himself shows the priceless value of patience when He permits it to b used as one of His attributes. He is called "The God of patience" (Romans 15:5). The Apostle Paul knew from personal experience the bitterness of pain as well as the soothing balm of patience. Let us see what he says about patience: "We glory in tribulation s also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience." In other words, we are proud of tribulations, because we know that through faith, TRIBULATION BECOMES A WAY TO GAIN PRECIOUS PATIENCE. The Apostle James, addressing himself to the faithful, writes: "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience" (James 1:2-3). In other words, when we fall into temptations and testings, the situation must not be considered bitter and depressing; it’s a time for rejoicing. This applies to one temptation as well as to a variety of them, because you, as enlightened believer, know that faith tested by temptations and afflictions will have patience as its fruit. It is enough, he adds, to "…let patience have her perfect work, that is, for it to be perfect and complete.

But why do the Holy Apostles (or rather, the Holy Spirit through the Apostles) put such a high value on patience? The same Spirit gives the explanation. First, because PATIENCE IS THE APPLICATION OF EVERY VIRTUE. "For ye have need of patience," the Divine Paul says again, "that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." This indicates that patience is the application and the execution (through practice) of the will of God. In other words, when I endure the pain of sickness and the bitterness of death, I demonstrate faith and confidence in the Logos/Word of God, for the Logos/Word of God assures me that through such discipline I am visited by the Love of the Father.

Secondly, because patience is the healthy philosophy which works so well in this life. It is a fact, that it is not so much the pain and testing which poisons the soul, as it is impatience. It is impatience which fills our days with strife and ruins our personal affairs, our health, even our life itself. In undermines and shortens our life. On the other hand, patience gives courage and hope; it helps us to keep calm and to think clearly in the face of trouble; it draws power from the All-Powerful God; it maintains spiritual peace and develops the precious feeling of wellbeing. [Resources: For the Hours of Pain].

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George