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Faithful in Large and Small Things
"Bear patiently the slight injuries, the little inconveniences, the inconsequential losses that daily come to you.... These little daily acts of charity, this headache, toothache, or cold, this bad humor in a husband, this broken glass, this contempt or that scorn, this loss of a pair of gloves, ring or handkerchief, the little inconveniences incurred by going to bed early and getting up early to pray or receive Holy Communion... - in short, all such little trials when accepted and embraced with love are highly pleasing to God's mercy. Since such opportunities present themselves from moment to moment it will be a great means of storing up vast spiritual riches if only you use them well."
St. Francis de Sales, 'Introduction to the Devout Life', NY: Image Books, 1989, p213-214
posted by Holly at 9:14 AM
2 Comments:
St Therese of Lisieux, as a young nun in a cloister, knew she would never do 'great' things for God - she'd never lead a nation or convert millions by her preaching. Yet she knew she could still serve God, however humbly. She did this by her 'little way'. She did everything, even the most trivial and annoying, with great love for God.
We Moms can do these little things with love too. It will be like adding pennies a day to our spiritual treasure; by plodding with little steps like the tortoise in Aesop's fable. Nonetheless, we'll reach our goal!
I have found in my own life that I grow in faithfullness to the will of God when I can discipline myself to respond to all events in my life by saying "yes Lord". When I hear a sick child's call at night, burn my finger on the woodstove, learn that a long expected event must be cancelled, or whatever I try to inwardly say my FIAT to Christ, and then proceed with love. This opens my heart to seeing God's hand at work in my daily life. It doesn't change the external circumstances but it changes my interior so I can handle the events of my day while maintaining peace.
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