Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 5) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Treatise IX and X.
My summary
The first treatise we read today is on the subject of patience. Cyprian encourages us to follow the examples of patience in:
(i) God;
(ii) Jesus;
(iii) the patriarchs and prophets;
(iv) Paul;
(v) Job;
(vi) Tobias.
The second treatise is on jealousy. Cyprian teaches us about the source of jealousy (Satan) and exhorts us to not rush into jealousy.
What grabbed me
Lots of quality material in today's reading.
I always like to consider the ramifications of patience: 'The virtue of patience is widely manifest, and its fertility and liberality proceed indeed from a source of one name, but are diffused by overflowing streams through many ways of glory; nor can anything in our actions avail for the perfection of praise, unless from this it receives the substance of its perfection. It is patience which both commends and keeps us to God. It is patience, too, which assuages anger, which bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards peace, rules discipline, breaks the force of lust, represses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of enmity, checks the power of the rich, soothes the want of the poor, protects a blessed integrity in virgins, a careful purity in widows, in those who are united and married a single affection. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, gentle towards wrongs and contempts. It teaches us quickly to pardon those who wrong us; and if you yourself do wrong, to entreat long and earnestly. It resists temptations, suffers persecutions, perfects passions and martyrdoms. It is patience which firmly fortifies the foundations of our faith. It is this which lifts up on high the increase of our hope. It is this which directs our doing, that we may hold fast the way of Christ while we walk by His patience. It is this that makes us to persevere as sons of God, while we imitate our Father's patience.'
A lot of sin could be avoided if we were just a bit more patient.
Next week's reading
Read Treatise XI.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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