Saint Greg... my kind of Saint...

Yesterday, was the feast of St. Gregory of Nazianzen, Doctor of the Church and St. Basil. After reading this short vignette, I'm pretty much a 'fan' of St. Greg. How about you? I find I get "belligerent" at times, or cranky about Church matters, too. I do hope to always share and speak the Truth in love, as we're told to do by our Lord, however, I also have a 'bit of a temper' at times, especially with defiant, rebellious so-called "Catholics," who choose to keep being so, despite being spoken to by Pope Benedict! How much higher authority does the Speaker really need to listen to about LIFE? Those types who've been told, and told again that abortion is NOT acceptable with Church teaching and yet they insist that it is, and that it was how they were taught by the Church and how they are going to remain really get my dander up! I also have trouble being sugary-sweet with belligerent Protestants, many of whom are poorly catechized Ex-Catholics no doubt, (and none are ones I know personally, thank God.) They're all over the blogosphere however, so I don't "go there" anymore. Unreasonable people make reasoning hard if not impossible. Those who berate and nit-pick and malign Catholicism out of sheer ignorance are one thing, but those who know better, but still are that way, are quite another! I don't hate them. I don't wish them ill at all, but I do grow impatient with their tedious arguments! I hope to become more patient this year, so that means, more "opportunities" to be tested. Yipes! Lord have mercy on my sin-stained soul. My heart IS to amend my ways, make peace and not retaliate, and to love as I've been loved. However, I'm grateful for Saints, who also struggled with impatience, tempers flaring at times, who also had to retire to solitude. I may very well end my days in prayer, study, solitude and mortification, too. (right now I'm dealing with the pain of gout ... learning to offer up physical pain is a little hard at times) Saint Gregory, pray for me... I get cranky, but my heart is still longing to "be Christ to others" and to do His will, even if I fall flat on my face countless times a day. Amen.