Msgr. Pope on the Spiritual Work of Bearing Wrongs Patiently

"Here is  perhaps the most revolutionary of the Spiritual works of mercy. It is the one tied most directly to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. To decide to bear wrongs patiently is nothing less than to declare a revolution and to wage a very paradoxical counteroffensive against this world and its economy of anger.

"There is a cycle of violence and retribution in which the devil seeks to engage us. The cycle begins with one person harming or slighting another, perhaps tempted to do so by the devil or by the world or flesh, manipulated by him. And then, the harm having been worked, the victim retaliates and escalates. The salvos go back and forth with increasing fervor, often including others as well. Meanwhile, Satan observes from the wings with delight as he reaps a bountiful harvest of anger, fear, bitterness, violence, and poisonous personal and social venom. Through such cycles, he is able to bring down friendships, families, cultures, and nations. Indeed, world wars can set much of the planet ablaze.

"This is Satan’s economy. Its currency is hatred and its coinage is revenge. He would have us develop diverse portfolios of grievances and fears, and fill our coffers with memories of past wrongs stretching back hundreds or even thousands of years. So clever are Satan's marketers that those who are consumers and suppliers think their vengeance is righteous - even holy. And so the economy of Satan grows and grows, fueled by vengeance, bankrolled by grievances.

"Into this economy, this cycle of violence and retribution, the Christian who bears wrongs patiently engages in the revolutionary act of saying, even if on a small scale, 'the cycle of violence, anger, and retribution ends with me.”'It is like throwing a wrench into the gears of Satan's economy. Even if it is just the bearing of very small wrongs, it slows the machine of hatred and retribution, and causes the economy of Satan to grind more slowly. The person who does this engages in a revolutionary act, a paradoxical act of sabotage. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the spiritual works of mercy and their place in our lives. He then stated that he would like to focus a bit more on the spiritual works of mercy through occasional blog posts until he has covered all seven. One of these follow-up posts focused on the work "Bear Wrongs Patiently."

To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Bear Wrongs Patiently – A Meditation on the 5th Spiritual Work of Mercy (1 JUN 15)