Love is patient
91. The first work used in makrothyméi. This does not simply have to do with "enduring all things", because we find that idea expressed at the end of the seventh verse. Its meaning is clarified by the Greek translation of the Old Testament, where we read that God is "slow to anger" (Ex 34:6; Num 14:18). It refers then, to the quality of one who does not act on impulse and avoids giving offense. We find this quality in the God of the Covenant, who calls us to imitate him also within the life of the family. Saint Paul's texts using this word need to be read in the light of the Book of Wisdom (cf. 11:23: 12:2, 15-18), which extols God's restraint, as leaving open the possibility of repentance, yet insists on his power, as revealed in his acts of mercy. God's "patience", shown in his mercy towards sinners, is a sign of his real power.
