the little way
“If the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it?” —2 Kings 5:13
Jesus said: “If you can trust a man in little things, you can also trust Him in greater” (Lk 16:10). What, then, are the little things? In terms of time, ten minutes of daily prayer and a half-hour spent going to monthly Confession are small intervals of time. Going to Mass once a week is only one hour out of 168 hours in a week. Jesus asks, “Can you not stay with Me for even an hour?” (see Mt 26:40)
Naaman was healed by a little thing, washing seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kgs 5:14). His servants, knowing Naaman would have readily done something extraordinary to be healed, pleaded with him to perform the simple and little remedy (2 Kgs 5:13).
St. Thérèse of Lisieux spoke of “the little way,” doing little things for God with great love. She knew how important it was to obey God in little things. Now God is using her mightily. For example, she is the patroness of foreign missions.
When we began Lent, most of us made resolutions. Did those resolutions contain extraordinary things? Now we are in the third week of Lent. How are we doing with those extraordinary things? It’s better to successfully do small things in obedience to the Lord, for God often works in small things like mustard seeds (see Mt 13:31-32). Like little crumbs of yeast, often the small pieces lead to large things (Mt 13:33). Be trustworthy and obey the Lord in little things (Lk 16:10).
Prayer: Father, may I not scorn “small beginnings” (Zec 4:10). Help me to obey You faithfully in all I do.
Promise: “Send forth Your light and Your fidelity; they shall lead me on and bring me to Your holy mountain.” —Ps 43:3
Praise: St. Frances of Rome spent her life in service to the poor and the ill.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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