If you endure reproach and slander, bring to mind those who sit on a high place, how much murmuring, reproach, backbiting, scolding, slander, deceit, deceit, curses, mockery, and stinging reproaches they endure from their subordinates, like a tree standing on a high place, which shakes from every wind, even the slightest. In the same way, receive from others the reinforcement of patience. They endure more and more cruel things – should you not endure a little?

21) Descend with your mind into hell, judge how the condemned are tormented, and those will be tormented forever who, if possible, would wish to burn here at least until the end of the world in fire, if only to be freed from eternal torment, but it is not given to them.

22) Lift up your intelligent eyes to the heavenly dwellings and examine all the inhabitants there: you will not find a single one who does not come there from here by patience.

23) The present temporal sufferings are worth nothing in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us, says the Apostle Paul (Romans 8:18). Therefore, whatever misfortune you will endure here, patience is unworthy of the future glory that is prepared for those who endure, for eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).

24) In your suffering, remember the terrible suffering of the holy martyrs.

But everyone endured so generously that they laughed and mocked the torturers. It is true that they endured all this with the help of Christ, but the same help of Christ is ready now for all who endure: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Christ, the Son of God, the Sinless One, innocently endured terrible and incomprehensible sufferings for our sake, and He presents Himself to all of us as an example: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matt. 16:24; Lk. 9:23). The prophets looked upon this example by faith from afar, and they would rather suffer than have temporary sinful pleasure (Hebrews 11:25). This was followed by the holy apostles, martyrs and other saints, who passed through the fire and water of all temptations, and entered into eternal rest (Psalm 65:12).

(25) Wherefore we, too, with such a cloud of witnesses around us, let us lay aside every burden and sin that besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to the Author and Finisher of faith, Jesus, who, instead of the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despised the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God. Think of Him Who endured such reproach from sinners, so that you may not grow weary and faint in your souls. Thus the holy Apostle exhorts all who suffer (Hebrews 12:1-3). Christ says: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). If we want to come to God, we must follow this path by faith. If we do not want to be deceived, we must believe this Truth, which says: "Whosoever serves Me, let him follow Me" (John 12:26), that is, My humility, patience and meekness. If we want to receive eternal life, we must cling to this Life, except for Which there is no life, by faith and love. This is the Path that leads to God! This is the Truth, which knows no deception! It is Life that quickens those who cling to it by faith! Therefore, if anyone does not walk this Path, he is mistaken. If anyone does not believe in this Truth, he is deceived. If anyone does not hold on to this Life, he is dead and will be dead forever. The flesh, no matter how caresses it, will deceive; the world will deceive us, and will lead us to the point that it is useless to repent and pity, but this Truth cannot deceive.

26) By true patience we become conformed to Christ, the Son of God, Who endured so many sorrows and sufferings for our sake as members of the Head. And whoever in patience is conformed to Him, the same will partake of His glory in the resurrection, if only we suffer with Him, says the Apostle, that we may also be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17). What is it like for the Son of God to be conformed in patience and glory, and to be a true spiritual member of this most-blessed Head—not only the tongue, but even our mind cannot comprehend it.

27) God's love demands that we bear the cross that He imposes on us without complaint, even gratefully. He punishes us out of love, and not out of anger, as was said above, so we should not endure His Fatherly punishment with anger and murmuring, even though our hearts are troubled, but with love and thanksgiving. For nothing shows love for God so much as grateful endurance of troubles and sorrows. Many think of themselves as loving God; but the finding of trouble shows whether this opinion of theirs is true. In prosperity, even the wicked think that they thank God, but in unfavorable circumstances they murmur. In prosperity and misfortune, to be grateful to God is the work of a God-loving heart only.

(28) How great is the benefit of patience in society and in every calling! Patience preserves love and harmony between the authorities and the ruled, between parents and children, between masters and slaves, between brothers, between friends, between neighbors, between buyers and sellers, so that without patience there can be no good. From impatience, husband and wife, brother and brother, with each other, where there should be peace and harmony, quarrel and enmity. From impatience the lord of the slave, the father of the son, the husband of the wife, the lord of the subject painfully beats him. From impatience in those who endure beatings, evil thoughts arise against those who strike; Hence it happens that the servant of the master, the wife of the husband, subject to the master, the son of the evil father, seeks to kill, and kills, for this evil often happens.

Patience stops all this evil. Impatience destroys houses, villages, cities, and states, for from impatience there is disagreement, from disagreement there is quarrel and strife, and from strife, there is bloodshed and murder in the people who make up society. Patience averts all this evil. For where there is patience, there is no strife or strife. What kind of quarrel can there be when one has offended, and the other has yielded and forgiven the offender? From human impatience even the most innocent nature suffers. In this way, the wicked burn houses, granaries, shops, kill or damage livestock. From impatience a man beats himself, tears his hair, and becomes like a demoniac and more terrible than a beast; often he kills himself, and so he dies in soul and body. Patience does not allow this calamity to be.

Oh, blessed are those houses, cities, villages, villages, and societies in which patience dwells: for it preserves society more than weapons, more protects the city than walls! Oh, the sweet sight and hearing of patience is the refuge of the overwhelmed, the source of peace, strength, friendship, the visor and storehouse of virtues, the crown of piety, a well-known sign of faith, the cause of true joy, the fruit of humility, peace of conscience, the Christian coat of arms, the banner of Christ's soldiers, the seal of God's chosen ones, the path to eternal life, the ladder to heaven, the forerunner of eternal glory, victory over enemies, a plague to the devil and his angels, a reproach to the world, triumph over oneself, and so on.

§ 215. Patience is strengthened:

1) a prayer that asks for God's help in bearing the imposed cross. For as suffering children declare their sorrow to their parents, and so they receive comfort from them; or just as a friend communicates the sorrow of his heart to his faithful friend and thus feels a certain consolation in his heart, so we especially feel the relief of our sorrow when we communicate our sorrow to God, the Father of mercy and the God of all consolation (2 Corinthians 1:3-4), through prayer.