Patience

We hear a lot about tolerance.  It seems that it is the charitable attitude to have. After all, whom am I to impose my views on others?  We should be careful about this. It's a stealthy way of changing how we think.

Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen said:

Christian love bears evil, but it does not tolerate it. It does penance for the sins of others, but it is not broadminded about sin. Real Love involves real hatred: whoever has lost the power of moral indignation and the urge to drive the sellers from the temples has also lost a living, fervent love of Truth.

Tolerance is not love, rather it is indifference -- indifference to that which is wrong. It bespeaks a lack of love. If we tolerate bad, we are giving tacit approval to it. We adopt a laissez-faire attitude. This is not the way of  the Christian. Jesus did not tolerate sin.  He condemned it.

What we should practice is patience.  Patience is a virtue that enables us to endure an undesired situation out of love for God and our neighbor. Jesus was patient with sinners. He did not sanction evil, but with kindness taught what was right and what was wrong. This is love. A Christian cannot say that it's OK for others to do wrong as long as he himself doesn't do it. Out of love, we want everyone to have health in body, mind and soul.

Always the principle is: hate the sin and love the sinner. This requires patience and not tolerance. 

Father Stanley