Love Is Patient

1 Corinthians 13:4 -- "Love is patient. . . ."

Thus begins one of the most famous Scriptures of the Bible. This passage has long been a favorite reading at weddings.

If Love is patient, then the opposite is true:   Patience is love!

Wow, this means that sitting in a traffic jam without honking one's horn, hollering, or trying to cut others off is Love? It also means that listening to an older person tell the same story for the 50th time is Love. Overlooking one's spouse's annoying but harmless habits is Love.

During my life, patience has meant taking the long view, often waiting years for things that others take for granted every day.

At age 13, I began saving my money so I could make my own way in the world. At 25, I finally finished school, and had the safety and freedom and independence that I had craved  for 12 years.

 The first time anyone ever hugged me and said "I love you" was when I met my husband. I was 26 years old at the time.

I was almost 30 years old before I could afford to own a car.

My husband and I waited for 15 long years before we could become parents. I prayed The Novena every day for 2 years before our son was born.

Recently, I chose a church and received the Eucharist for the first time since I was 14 years old. In this case, God was patient with ME. He waited many decades for me to come back to Him.

Some days, my son will tell me that he cannot wait 15 minutes for dinner. Or a few weeks for Christmas or his birthday. Or a few months until spring comes.

I smile and tell him, 'I waited 15 years for you! I think you can wait 15 minutes.'

If God is Love; and Love is patient; then God is patient. ----Can't I be patient too?

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