“We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love.”
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
September 5 is the feast day of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. St. Mother Teresa dedicated her life serving the poorest of the poor, the destitute, the sick, and the dying. She devoted herself to a cause not many others would ever dream of. She gave so much hope and love to some of the people that needed it the most but received it the least. She inspired many to follow in her example and is known worldwide. She was canonized a saint a few years after her death. This woman did great things! And yet, in her mind, she was only trying to do small things with great love.
God calls each of us to greatness. Not to be great according to worldly standards, but to find the inner great that He created in each of us. Sometimes, I struggle trying to find “the great” that I am here to do. It is easy to feel in the doldrums of my life in
- Work
- Laundry
- Paperwork
- Dishes
- Cleaning
- Care taking
When I take time to reflect on my life and my purpose, I realize I am living “my great,” and I have a choice to embrace it or to run from it. Embracing the life given to me by God means finding peace and purpose in the small things and completing them with all the love I can muster. An amazing transformation takes place when love is in the mix. My life no longer feels like the doldrums, but instead, feels like it is full of purpose and significance.
I encourage you to find your “great.” It is woven within you and is different for each person. To purposefully live each moment of your life, the menial, the difficult, the joyful, the exciting, and the mournful will enhance each day. Completing simple, small tasks with love and purpose takes practice and a recommitment again and again. Pray about it, reflect on it, and soon, your life will have greater meaning and direction.
St. Mother Teresa has many wonderful quotes and a wonderful story to tell. You can read more about her in these books:
Start today. Start doing the small things with great love and see what God has planned for your life!
Yours in Health,
