THE GOOD OF PATIENCE (3)
St. Cyprian of Carthage
But in that very hour of His passion and cross, before they had come to the cruel act of His slaughter and the shedding of His blood, what violent abuses He listened to with patience, and what shameful insults He endured! He was even covered with the spittle of His revilers, when, but a short time before, with His own spittle He had cured the eyes of the blind man. He Himself suffered the lash, in whose name His servants now scourge the devil and His angels. He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was Himself crowned with thorns; He who now gives true palms to the victors was beaten in the face with hostile palms; He who clothes all others with the garment of immortality was stripped of His earthly garment; He who has given the food of heaven was fed with gall; He who has offered us the cup of salvation was given vinegar to drink. He the innocent, He the just, nay rather, Innocence Itself and Justice Itself is counted among criminals, and Truth is concealed by false testimonies. He who is to judge is judged, and the Word of God, silent, is led to the cross. And although the stars are confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, the elements are disturbed, the earth trembles, night blots out the day, the sun withdraws both its rays and its eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of the Jews, yet He does not speak, nor is He moved, nor does He proclaim His majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endures all things even to the end with constant perseverance so that in Christ a full and perfect patience may find its realization.
And after such sufferings, He even still receives His murderers if they are converted and come to Him, and with a patience instrumental in saving man, this kind Master closes His Church to no one. Those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of His name, provided they do penance for their offense, provided they acknowledge the crime committed, He not only receives and pardons, but admits to the reward of the kingdom of heaven. What can be called more patient, what more kind? Even he who shed the blood of Christ is given life by the blood of Christ. Such is the wonderful patience of Christ. And unless it were so wonderful in character, the Church would not have Paul the great Apostle.
But if we also, beloved brethren, are in Christ, if we put Him on, if He Himself is the way of our salvation, let us who follow in the salutary footsteps of Christ walk by the example of Christ as John the Apostle teaches, saying: 'He who says that he abides in Christ ought himself also to walk just as He walked.' Likewise Peter, on whom the Lord had deemed it worthy for His Church to be founded, writes in his letter and says: 'Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you an example that you may follow in His steps, "Who did no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth," who when He was reviled, did not revile in turn, when He suffered did not threaten, but yielded Himself to Him who judged Him unjustly.'
We find accordingly that the patriarchs and prophets and all the just, who set up in their persons the type of Christ as a prefiguration, have treasured nothing in the estimation of their virtues more than the fact that they preserved patience with a strong and stable equanimity. So Abel, as the first one to inaugurate and dedicate martyrdom and the suffering of the just, did not resist or struggle against his brother the parricide, but in humble and gentle patience allowed himself to be killed. So Abraham, trusting God and being the first to establish the root and foundation of faith, when he was tempted in regard to his son, did not hesitate or delay but obeyed the commands of God with a full and devoted patience. And Isaac, prefigured in the likeness of the Lord as victim, was found to be patient when he was offered by his father to be sacrificed. When Jacob was driven from his own land on account of his brother, he departed patiently and, with greater patience afterward, humbly petitioning by means of peaceful gifts, he restored to harmony his still more impious brother and persecutor. Joseph, sold by his brothers and banished, not only patiently forgave but even generously and kindly bestowed free grain on them when they came to him. Moses was often scorned by an ungrateful and faithless people and almost stoned, and yet with mildness and patience he prayed to the Lord in their behalf. But what great and wonderful and Christian patience is to be found in David, from whom Christ descended according to the flesh! David often had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him. Yet when Saul was subject to him and in his power, David preferred to save his life and did not retaliate on his enemy but, on the contrary, even avenged him when he was killed. In short, many prophets have been killed, many martyrs have been honored with glorious deaths, and all have attained their heavenly crowns through the merit of patience, for a crown for sorrow and suffering cannot be obtained unless patience in sorrow and suffering precede.
But in order that it can be more manifestly and more fully known, beloved brethren, how useful and necessary patience is, let us consider the judgment of God which, at the very beginning of the world and of the human race, was passed upon Adam who was unmindful of God's command and a transgressor of the law that was imposed. Then we shall know how patient we ought to be in this world, we who are born under the condition that we must struggle here under trials and conflicts. 'Because you have listened,' He said, 'to the voice of your wife and you have eaten of that tree from which alone I commanded you not to eat, cursed will be the earth in all your works; in sorrow and mourning you shall eat from it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you and you shall eat of the food of the field. In the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread till you return from the ground from which you were taken, since you are earth and shall return to earth.' We are all bound and confined by the bond of this sentence until, having paid the debt of death, we leave this world. We must be in sorrow and lamentation all the days of our life. And we must eat our bread with sweat and labor.
Hence when anyone is born and enters the abode of this world, he begins with tears. Although even then inexperienced and ignorant of all things, he can do nothing else at his birth except weep. With natural foresight he laments the anxieties and labors of this mortal life, and at its very beginning, by weeping and lamentations his young soul testifies to the trials of the world which he is entering. For he toils and labors as long as he lives here. Nothing else can relieve those who labor and toil more than the consolation derived from patience. This is not only proper and necessary for everyone in this world, but even more for us who, through the onslaughts of the devil, are more harassed; who, standing daily in the front of the battle, are wearied by our combats with an old and well-trained enemy; who, in addition to the various and constant attacks of temptations and in the struggle of persecution, must relinquish our patrimonies, who must endure prison, bear chains, give up our lives, who must undergo the sword, beasts, fire, the cross, in short, all kinds of tortures and punishments, relying on our faith and the virtue of patience, for the Lord Himself teaches and says: 'These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace; in the world, however, you will have affliction; but take courage: I have overcome the world.' If, however, we who have renounced the devil and the world suffer trials and the attacks of the devil and the world more frequently and more violently, how much more ought we to maintain patience, with which, as our helper and companion, we may endure all afflictions.
Chapter 7
But in that very hour of His passion and cross, before they had come to the cruel act of His slaughter and the shedding of His blood, what violent abuses He listened to with patience, and what shameful insults He endured! He was even covered with the spittle of His revilers, when, but a short time before, with His own spittle He had cured the eyes of the blind man. He Himself suffered the lash, in whose name His servants now scourge the devil and His angels. He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was Himself crowned with thorns; He who now gives true palms to the victors was beaten in the face with hostile palms; He who clothes all others with the garment of immortality was stripped of His earthly garment; He who has given the food of heaven was fed with gall; He who has offered us the cup of salvation was given vinegar to drink. He the innocent, He the just, nay rather, Innocence Itself and Justice Itself is counted among criminals, and Truth is concealed by false testimonies. He who is to judge is judged, and the Word of God, silent, is led to the cross. And although the stars are confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, the elements are disturbed, the earth trembles, night blots out the day, the sun withdraws both its rays and its eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of the Jews, yet He does not speak, nor is He moved, nor does He proclaim His majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endures all things even to the end with constant perseverance so that in Christ a full and perfect patience may find its realization.
Chapter 8
And after such sufferings, He even still receives His murderers if they are converted and come to Him, and with a patience instrumental in saving man, this kind Master closes His Church to no one. Those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of His name, provided they do penance for their offense, provided they acknowledge the crime committed, He not only receives and pardons, but admits to the reward of the kingdom of heaven. What can be called more patient, what more kind? Even he who shed the blood of Christ is given life by the blood of Christ. Such is the wonderful patience of Christ. And unless it were so wonderful in character, the Church would not have Paul the great Apostle.
Chapter 9
But if we also, beloved brethren, are in Christ, if we put Him on, if He Himself is the way of our salvation, let us who follow in the salutary footsteps of Christ walk by the example of Christ as John the Apostle teaches, saying: 'He who says that he abides in Christ ought himself also to walk just as He walked.' Likewise Peter, on whom the Lord had deemed it worthy for His Church to be founded, writes in his letter and says: 'Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you an example that you may follow in His steps, "Who did no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth," who when He was reviled, did not revile in turn, when He suffered did not threaten, but yielded Himself to Him who judged Him unjustly.'
Chapter 10
We find accordingly that the patriarchs and prophets and all the just, who set up in their persons the type of Christ as a prefiguration, have treasured nothing in the estimation of their virtues more than the fact that they preserved patience with a strong and stable equanimity. So Abel, as the first one to inaugurate and dedicate martyrdom and the suffering of the just, did not resist or struggle against his brother the parricide, but in humble and gentle patience allowed himself to be killed. So Abraham, trusting God and being the first to establish the root and foundation of faith, when he was tempted in regard to his son, did not hesitate or delay but obeyed the commands of God with a full and devoted patience. And Isaac, prefigured in the likeness of the Lord as victim, was found to be patient when he was offered by his father to be sacrificed. When Jacob was driven from his own land on account of his brother, he departed patiently and, with greater patience afterward, humbly petitioning by means of peaceful gifts, he restored to harmony his still more impious brother and persecutor. Joseph, sold by his brothers and banished, not only patiently forgave but even generously and kindly bestowed free grain on them when they came to him. Moses was often scorned by an ungrateful and faithless people and almost stoned, and yet with mildness and patience he prayed to the Lord in their behalf. But what great and wonderful and Christian patience is to be found in David, from whom Christ descended according to the flesh! David often had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him. Yet when Saul was subject to him and in his power, David preferred to save his life and did not retaliate on his enemy but, on the contrary, even avenged him when he was killed. In short, many prophets have been killed, many martyrs have been honored with glorious deaths, and all have attained their heavenly crowns through the merit of patience, for a crown for sorrow and suffering cannot be obtained unless patience in sorrow and suffering precede.
Chapter 11
But in order that it can be more manifestly and more fully known, beloved brethren, how useful and necessary patience is, let us consider the judgment of God which, at the very beginning of the world and of the human race, was passed upon Adam who was unmindful of God's command and a transgressor of the law that was imposed. Then we shall know how patient we ought to be in this world, we who are born under the condition that we must struggle here under trials and conflicts. 'Because you have listened,' He said, 'to the voice of your wife and you have eaten of that tree from which alone I commanded you not to eat, cursed will be the earth in all your works; in sorrow and mourning you shall eat from it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you and you shall eat of the food of the field. In the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread till you return from the ground from which you were taken, since you are earth and shall return to earth.' We are all bound and confined by the bond of this sentence until, having paid the debt of death, we leave this world. We must be in sorrow and lamentation all the days of our life. And we must eat our bread with sweat and labor.
Chapter 12
Hence when anyone is born and enters the abode of this world, he begins with tears. Although even then inexperienced and ignorant of all things, he can do nothing else at his birth except weep. With natural foresight he laments the anxieties and labors of this mortal life, and at its very beginning, by weeping and lamentations his young soul testifies to the trials of the world which he is entering. For he toils and labors as long as he lives here. Nothing else can relieve those who labor and toil more than the consolation derived from patience. This is not only proper and necessary for everyone in this world, but even more for us who, through the onslaughts of the devil, are more harassed; who, standing daily in the front of the battle, are wearied by our combats with an old and well-trained enemy; who, in addition to the various and constant attacks of temptations and in the struggle of persecution, must relinquish our patrimonies, who must endure prison, bear chains, give up our lives, who must undergo the sword, beasts, fire, the cross, in short, all kinds of tortures and punishments, relying on our faith and the virtue of patience, for the Lord Himself teaches and says: 'These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace; in the world, however, you will have affliction; but take courage: I have overcome the world.' If, however, we who have renounced the devil and the world suffer trials and the attacks of the devil and the world more frequently and more violently, how much more ought we to maintain patience, with which, as our helper and companion, we may endure all afflictions.
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