Love is patient and is kind… – 1 Corinthians 13:4, WEB
It is only gentleness that can vanquish violence. If we are to conquer war, we must be ambassadors of peace.
This is a peace that must come first within our own hearts. A peace that soothes our very souls.
It is a fruit of forgiveness and understanding, of gentleness and patience with our own weaknesses and faults.
If we are harsh with our own failures and shortcomings, how could we treat others with compassion and mercy? How do we tell others of God’s love if all we know about is His wrath?
Let us discover the gentleness of God towards us and believe that despite all our sins, we are given compassion and forgiveness. Let us treat ourselves as God treats us – with utter patience, kindness and love.
“The spirit of God is a spirit of peace. Even in the most serious faults He makes us feel a sorrow that is tranquil, humble, and confident and this is precisely because of His mercy. The spirit of the devil, instead, excites, exasperates, and make us feel, in that very sorrow [for our sins], anger against ourselves, whereas we should, on the contrary, be charitable with ourselves first and foremost. Therefore, if any thought agitates you, this agitation never comes from God, who gives you peace, being the Spirit of Peace…” – Padre Pio
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"