The Little Things Done With Love, are Great!

In the Gospel according to Luke 9:51-62...

This passage speaks of Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem, headed to His rejection, persecution, and ultimately, His death…  On the way He continues to show us how to treat those who reject us.  As with the Samaritans who turn Him away when looking for a place to stay... The Apostles ask of Him if they should call fire down upon them to smite them.  Jesus simply rebukes the Apostles as He turns in the direction of the next villiage.  Do not repay injury w/ injury…  just continue on the path, upon which we will carry our crosses that lead to ultimate salvation, through Him, with Him.

Then, on His journey, as He calls people to follow Him, they all have excuses (bury my Father, say good bye to family, etc.), and Jesus says “your duty is to go and spread the news of the Kingdom of God.”  That’s it, in a nutshell…  Our duty is to go and spread the news of the Kingdom of God.  Period…  in whatever vocation God has called us. 

 

I have been listening to the lives of saints with my children, a lot lately…and this reallllly resonates with me… each of us is called to spread the good news, but it looks different for each of us.  And when (not if, but when) we are called, we will know… that is if we give Him time in prayer and silence to listen… not even hours of silence… but with a true, faith-filled, open heart… if we ask for His wisdom, He will, and ALWAYS does provide an answer, whether we find it in scripture, or through His messengers (priest, spouse, children, even the radio)…  He always answers our prayers… 

We should not expect to be called to great things…  because fulfilling the duty and vocation to which we are called, with love is, indeed, GREAT!  As in the life of St. Teresa of Avila that we watched last night, sometimes, simply fulfilling, in obedience and love, our duty can be far more difficult that doing big things… so, it is, in doing our duty, out of obedience and love, we are doing great things and this spreads love, which is the Kingdom of God… the good news.  Jesus is love.

Our vocation, our duty is hard… and on trying days, we may just not feel up to the challenge.  We can get tired because at times our children are more trying than others.  They act their age... We may actually look up to heaven and say “I don’t feel like being a Mom today”…  However, we can say it with a contrite heart, because, we are sorry for feeling that way and know that we need Heaven’s help… but we cannot change how we feel.  We can only look to the one true source of comfort, knowing that we will be heard, and with faith in our prayers, we can be assured help will come.  Heaven is always near.

God may be asking us to flex our spiritual muscles and grow in holiness, through the fires of sanctification, but we must stand firm, as patiently as seemingly possible, and stay true to our family standards and house rules.  Oh how easy it would be to turn a blind eye.  That is not what God is asking of us.  Our duty is to raise saints, and God-willing… become one in the process…  

As Blessed Mother Teresa says:

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action."

 

Therefore, truly, the little things done with love, are great.