WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I AM PATIENT?
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly
high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will
walk and not faint.
Waiting reveals our need for God's strength and and gives God the
op****tunity to exercise his might on our behalf. As an athlete regains
strength from sleep and time away from the contest, so we find strength
by curtailing our own efforts and trusting the Lord to work. He will
bring what we need when we need it.
Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and
heard my cry.
Delays and difficulties are not signs that God is ignoring us. We can
have hope and confidence in the knowledge that he hears our prayers in
those hard times.
Habakkuk 2:3
But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily,
surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it
seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not
be delayed.
Our patience gives God time to work out his plan. God may seem to delay,
but he is never late. His promises will come to pass in his perfect
time.
Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him.
Hebrews 10:36
Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's
will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Those who give up, lose out. They are not being punished for giving up;
they simply are absent when God works.
1 Peter 2:19-20
For God is pleased with you when, for the sake of your conscience, you
patiently endure unfair treatment. Of course, you get no credit for
being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for
doing right and are patient beneath the blows, God is pleased with you.
When we refuse to take things into our own hands, God takes them into
his. God brings justice and vindication to those who wait on him.
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December 1st - St. Natalia of Nicomedia, Widow (RM)
Died on December 1, c. 311. The story is told that after a turbulent life,
Saint
Natalia died peacefully in Argyropolis near Constantinople. She was the
young
Christian wife of an imperial officer of Nicomedia named Adrian. Her
husband
was
so impressed by the patient suffering of some persecuted Christians that
he
openly declared he was a Christian himself, though he had not yet been
baptized.
Adrian was at once thrown in jail, where Natalia visited him and arranged
for
his instruction in the faith. It is said the Natalia also ministered
bravely
to
other imprisoned Christians during the persecution of Diocletian. After
Adrian
had been sentenced to death visitors were forbidden to him, but Natalia
disguised herself as a boy and bribed her way in to ask him to pray for
her
in
heaven.
At Adrian's execution, Natalia watched as her husband was broken limb by
limb.
After his death on September 8 about the year 304, a fire was built to
burn
the
bodies of the martyrs, so that there would be nothing left for burial.
Natalia
had to be restrained from casting herself into the fire when Adrian's body
was
burned. A rain storm put out the fire, and Christians gathered the remains
and
buried them.
Natalia managed to recover Adrian's hand, then fled to Argyropolis, on the
Bos****us, to escape the im****tune wooing of another imperial official.
When
Natalia died she was buried among the martyrs. It is not known what, if
any,
truth lies behind this romantic tale. There were apparently two Adrians
martyred
at Nicomedia, one under Diocletian, the other under Licinius. In art she
is
shown holding her husband's hand (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney,
Roeder).
Saint Quote:
Every time that God converts a hardened sinner he is working a far greater
miracle.
--Saint John Regis
Bible Quote:
If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. (James 3:2)
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Litany of December Saints
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, King of glory, born in Bethlehem of the Immaculate Virgin
Mary,
have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us.
* pray for us
St. Edmund Campion, Holy Martyr and Priestly Patron of the Press *
St. Florence *
St. Eligius * St. Bibiana, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Francis Xavier, Holy Confessor and Missionary *
St. Peter Chrysologos, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
St. Barbara, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Sabbas, Holy Abbot *
St. Gerald, Holy Bishop *
St. Nicholas, Holy Bishop and Patron of Children *
St. Ambrose, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
Holy Mary, Immaculate Ark of the Covenant *
Pope St. Melchiades, Successor of Peter and Holy Martyr *
St. Romaric, Holy Abbot *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Loretto *
Pope St. Damasus I, Holy Successor of Peter *
Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe *
St. Odilia, Holy Virgin and Patron invoked against blindness *
St. Lucy, Virgin and Holy Martyr and Patroness of the blind *
St. Nicasius, Holy Archbishop *
St. Eutropia *
St. Venantius Fortunatus, Holy Bishop *
St. Christiana, Holy Virgin *
St. Eusabius of Vercelli, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Adelaide, Holy Queen of Italy *
Sts. Ananias, Azarius & Misael, Companions of Daniel *
St. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead *
St. Olympias, Holy Widow *
St. Gatian, Holy Bishop *
Blessed Urban V, Holy Sovereign Pontiff *
Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Old Covenant Patriarchs *
St. Dominic of Silos, Abbot and Patron of Captives *
St. Thomas, Holy Apostle who baptized the Magi *
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin and Religious, Patron of Immigrants *
Sts. Chaeremon & Ischyrion, Holy Martyrs *
St. Servulus, Holy Beggar *
St. Yvo of Chartres, Holy Bishop *
Sts. Adam and Eve, First Parents *
St. Adele, Holy Widow *
St. Chrysogonus, Martyr *
St. Anastasia, Holy Martyr *
St. Stephen, Holy Protomartyr and Patron of Stonemasons *
St. John the Evangelist, Holy Apostle *
Holy Innocents, Blessed Martyrs *
St. Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury and Holy Martyr *
St. David, Holy King of the Old Testament *
St. Sabinus, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Anysius, Holy Bishop of Thessalonica *
Pope St. Sylvester I, Holy Successor of Peter *
All you holy saints and angels, pray for us.
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