Learning Patience
Adapted from a sermon by Fr Michael Fanous
Passage Luke 20:9-19
The Lord uses the analogy of the wicked vinedressers in a parable that recounted the story of Israelites and God up until this point in history. The Lord set up everything nicely and entrusted the land to the vinedressers.
In the Old Testament, the Lord gave the people the law and the commandments. He was always amongst them and created the entire earth for humanity to inhabit. Similarly, the vinedressers wanted the gifts that God had to offer but they didn’t want God Himself.
Israel was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament. He gave them the land, the tabernacle, He dwelt among them, and despite all this, they still rejected Him. Today, people are given so many gifts and benefit immensely from these gifts, yet they continue to reject the source of these gifts. People want the good in life without God, the Provider of goodness.
This could be an issue we face from time to time. When we want the gifts of God, but we don’t always want God. God is patient with all His children. In the Old Testament, He sent prophets, Kings, priests, all people that could voice His Word. The message was clear – to strive for godliness and righteousness. And yet, they rejected Him. To the extent that the prophets were beaten. Isaiah was sawn in half. Zachariah was murdered between the temple and the altar. Jeremiah and Ezekiel were stoned.
All the prophets that were sent suffered and were destroyed for the message they preached. The Lord remains patient with them, and us, to the extent that He sent His Own Son, so that they may return to God. He too, was crucified. God is very patient with us all. He asked for a small amount of fruit among the entire produce, and even that was rejected. The vinedressers believed they were the owners and didn’t need Him.
In the fullness of time, Christ found someone patient and longsuffering who was the virgin Saint Mary. When she was born, she was given as a servant of the temple to do all the tedious jobs that no one else wanted to do, like clean after the animals. When she grew up and it was time for her to leave the temple, they needed somewhere for her live. Throughout this, she was patient. The angel came to her and told she would have a Son, but she wanted to remain a virgin. This was the ultimate answer from God, she was a virgin but still a mother.
Patience was exhibited when she gave birth in a manager. She suffered in her travels to Egypt by night which was a foreign land where no one wanted them. She suffered greatly, the height on this was Christ on the Cross and the accusations that followed.
All the glory that she was given was not something that she took to heart, but she gave glory to God. When she was told she was to be the mother of God, she called herself the maidservant of the Lord. This is all glory that she did not take upon herself. The miracles that followed did not cause her to esteem herself.
What do we learn from St Mary? Long suffering. When we are impatient when we are asked the same question more than once. This is the time to pursue long suffering. Are we impatient with the Lord and our requests of Him? We must recognise the importance of patience. The Lord teaches us, “By your patience possess your souls” – Luke 21:19.
Patience is a virtue we all need. When tribulation passes us by, in patience we trust that Lord will solve it. We need to be patient in order to attain peace with others. The Lord is telling us to be patient, to be like His own mother.
In the coming two weeks of fasting, let us practice patience with everyone. Let us wait on the Lord to give us joy. And in turn, imitate Saint Mary. People learn from the patience they see in others.