Have you ever wondered around in an antique store and checked out the boxes of old photographs? Most of these are ordinary photos of people in weddings, school graduations, family picnics, or people at work or play, etc. You can also find boxes of old post cards, from and to people who no longer exist, with messages about their vacations, vocations, personal thoughts, and daily lives. I have always found it sad that at some point these people have been forgotten, and that someone who no longer cares decided to donate these memories to strangers. The last records of these peoples lives are waiting in dusty boxes and will eventually turn to dust themselves; forgotten forever. Maybe it's because I've spent a lot of time wondering around in antique stores, but there was a time when I was concerned about whether anyone would remember me after I was gone. I'll be missed by my immediate family of course, but only until they have passed on. I am not going to be a talented actor, or a rich businessman, or a famous scientist. In fact, no matter how well any of us play a musical instrument, or play our favorite sport, or how much money we make or give away, most of us are not going to be the best at anything.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, known as the Little Flower, was once asked about her meditation practices, and specifically what she said to God in prayer. She responded, "Nothing, I just listen". The followup question was, "What does God tell you?", and Saint Therese said, "Nothing, He just listens". Even in prayer, Saint Therese taught us the power of simplicity. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks honestly and trustingly to a parent they love. "Everything is grace" would probably be the theme song of her spirituality. Her "Little Way" teaches us to do the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love. A smile, a note of encouragement, a phone call, suffering in silence, always having a positive word, a simple unnoticed task to brighten the life of another, and so many other simple deeds, done with love were the examples of her spirituality. The smallest action, done with love, is more important than greatest deeds done for personal glory, gratification or simply out of obedience. Saint Therese's life reflected her belief that Jesus is everywhere and is the power for love and goodness operating within us: Such is the power and presence of grace. Saint Therese saw herself as a child of God, and she liked to keep things as simple and focused as a child because she felt that trust, especially trust in God, is a childlike virtue.
Most of us will always be ordinary people doing ordinary things in ordinary ways, just like most of the people found in those antique store boxes. Over the last few years I've come to grips with the idea of being an ordinary person, and in fact I now embrace being ordinary. God doesn't favor movie stars and scientists, and although He needs leaders and people of action, it's the ordinary activities of ordinary people that He is using to build His Kingdom. Saint Therese believed that life presents enough challenges and opportunities for grace. She taught us that God is everywhere, in every situation and in every person, and in the ordinary simple details of life. God is calling us to respond to His divine love in a childlike relationship of love, trust, and confidence by doing simple things for others. Therese was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus and the core of his message, and she invites us to join in her "spiritual childhood" or "little way". It's comforting to realize that we are God's children too, and that how we live our lives is just as important as what we accomplish with our lives. In the end, you and I and the rest of the ordinary people in this world will not be remembered long after we're gone, but how we live, and how we worship, and how we impact the people around us is what gives our lives, and our memories, meaning. We may be forgotten, but even in the most simple of ways the good that we do in God's name will last forever.
Saint Therese of Lisieux, known as the Little Flower, was once asked about her meditation practices, and specifically what she said to God in prayer. She responded, "Nothing, I just listen". The followup question was, "What does God tell you?", and Saint Therese said, "Nothing, He just listens". Even in prayer, Saint Therese taught us the power of simplicity. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks honestly and trustingly to a parent they love. "Everything is grace" would probably be the theme song of her spirituality. Her "Little Way" teaches us to do the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love. A smile, a note of encouragement, a phone call, suffering in silence, always having a positive word, a simple unnoticed task to brighten the life of another, and so many other simple deeds, done with love were the examples of her spirituality. The smallest action, done with love, is more important than greatest deeds done for personal glory, gratification or simply out of obedience. Saint Therese's life reflected her belief that Jesus is everywhere and is the power for love and goodness operating within us: Such is the power and presence of grace. Saint Therese saw herself as a child of God, and she liked to keep things as simple and focused as a child because she felt that trust, especially trust in God, is a childlike virtue.
Most of us will always be ordinary people doing ordinary things in ordinary ways, just like most of the people found in those antique store boxes. Over the last few years I've come to grips with the idea of being an ordinary person, and in fact I now embrace being ordinary. God doesn't favor movie stars and scientists, and although He needs leaders and people of action, it's the ordinary activities of ordinary people that He is using to build His Kingdom. Saint Therese believed that life presents enough challenges and opportunities for grace. She taught us that God is everywhere, in every situation and in every person, and in the ordinary simple details of life. God is calling us to respond to His divine love in a childlike relationship of love, trust, and confidence by doing simple things for others. Therese was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus and the core of his message, and she invites us to join in her "spiritual childhood" or "little way". It's comforting to realize that we are God's children too, and that how we live our lives is just as important as what we accomplish with our lives. In the end, you and I and the rest of the ordinary people in this world will not be remembered long after we're gone, but how we live, and how we worship, and how we impact the people around us is what gives our lives, and our memories, meaning. We may be forgotten, but even in the most simple of ways the good that we do in God's name will last forever.
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