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THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Thought for the Day # 22 – Monday April 6, 2020

“Impatience”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the past few weeks, perhaps we have all been tested by waves of impa-
tience that swept over us. Perhaps they came through our thoughts, perhaps
they just welled up and escaped us, through words or gestures of impatience.

When we look back at these times, if we look at our expressions of
impatience, there are probably words that we regret. There may have been
gestures that we also probably regret, perhaps many, perhaps bitterly. We
regret having said those words, made those gestures of impatience.

Perhaps we could look at them as a way to help each other to be patient.
To feel a wave of impatience is understandable. We know it could happen. But
we do not want to let impatience overwhelm us and win. Rather it means we
should engage in the battle that arises in our soul as soon as we feel it coming
on, to resist being swept away by impatient thoughts, and so prevent words
and gestures that show impatience.

To nourish our minds, each time we have an impatient thought, we can
focus on the fact that we are all brothers and sisters in humanity. We can think
that we are all implicated, the whole of humanity. It is not one culture more
than another, not one language more than another, nor one continent more
than another. We are all involved and in equal fashion.

When we think of all those who work in essential services, let’s not
forget that, indeed they do have work, they are busy and continue to serve
society, they are not, so to speak, forced into isolation or confinement, but we
must not forget that they are running risks. They run more risks by having to
travel, by having to meet people, even if they have protective equipment.
So when we are feeling impatient, let us remember that we are all part
of the same humanity. And remember those who are in essential services,
incurring more risks than we are. We have an opportunity to truly ask God for
the grace of patience with one another.

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 33