“Patience: Joyfulness and Rewards!”
Third Sunday of Advent – A
“Like a farmer waiting for the precious yield of the soil,
be patient until the coming of the Lord.”
Like many people, I am not always a patient person! I pray daily for patience; for myself, for others and in my Ministry. I believe it is just an “American” thing.
I have studied and traveled in Mexico, where the people are much more laid back and are relaxed about life. In Mexico and Spain, they work, but they take great pleasure in their afternoon Siesta’s and in their meals – not rushing to finish but enjoying them with their families. I would even ask, why isn’t Mass beginning? The answer would come back: “You’re not on American Time!”
I have traveled to Italy, where basically I encountered the same sort of lifestyle. Buses didn’t run on time, Masses didn’t start on time, meals lasted for hours, and all the while people were joyful, relaxed, enjoying their time with family or friends. They didn’t hurry, they didn’t rush, they simply enjoyed and patiently waited for whatever it was they were waiting for! Oh, I thought, “I must be on Italian time!”
To many people on this earth, American’s are impatient, impulsive and always in a hurry. We want it and we want it right now! Delayed gratification is not a modern American value. When we want something, we get it now, put it on credit and worry about it later.
Because of years of this kind of thinking, Americans are struggling with how to get out of debt. Someone just told me the other day the astronomical amount Americans have on credit cards right now and credit card default is at an all time high.
We start Christmas in October. We live together before the wedding. We have children before marriage. We divorce rather than staying and working it out. We drop out of school because it’s “too boring. And spend the rest of our lives going nowhere! “If it feels good, do it,” has become a way of life for many. “I know what I want, and I want it now.” Even the comic strips laugh at our impatience.
I don’t mean to be so negative, but think about it, if we could have all the things, we want NOW, there would be no surprises, no excitement – there would be nothing wonderful to look forward to!” The scripture tells us:
“Like a farmer awaiting the precious yield of the soil,
be patient until the coming of the Lord.”
James, in his letter, reminds us that we must be patient. Advent makes promises. Jesus will come again! God will hear the cry of the poor! The small, the broken, the weak, the needy will have their time to rejoice! There will be peace on earth. The blind will see. Sorrow and mourning will be no more.
Advent makes these big promises, but if you look around you the evidence of it is hard to find. The world seems to be groaning in pain for so many people: wars rage in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East; families are blowing apart due to divorce, children are abused and neglected, our elderly people are dropped off at Nursing Homes and forgotten, many have lost their jobs, cancer is rampant, crime and the respect for all life has greatly diminished. It is extremely difficult to remain hopeful when the facts seem to give us better reason to despair.
Again, the prayer the priest says after the Lord’s Prayer at each Mass asks God to “keep us free from sin and deliver us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope.” In a culture that “wants everything now” many no longer believe in God’s promises. Yes, Advent asks us to be patient in the face of all this, and trust that God will be true to His word when it is time! Is it too much to ask? I hope not!
Yes, Advent makes many promises and life holds many promises, but WE must develop the patience needed to see those promises fulfilled. The ability to delay gratification is a sign of spiritual as well as emotional maturity. Let us Hope in the Lord!
Isaiah 35:1-6, 10
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11