The other day, my organist son substituted at the local Maronite Catholic parish. It was Pentecost, and the young priest preached an excellent homily. You can listen to it here.
Here’s what was refreshing about the homily, especially in the context of contemporary pop spiritual discourse.
The homilist pointed out that as members of this Church founded on this day, we are called to let the Spirit work through us to sanctify the world. To bring Christ. How do we do that?
Very importantly, he said, we do this through our work. Whatever that work is, that’s a primary way in which Christ moves through us into the world – as he said several times, the purpose of work being to make order from chaos.
And the example he used was his own work as a younger man in a Lebanese deli, doing dull, repetitive work, often alone.
Where ever we are, doing our work, we are called to allow the Spirit to help us bring Christ into that moment.
Refreshing, why?
Well, you’ve heard it from me before, and you are probably tired of it. But I’ll say it again, briefly.
The present moment of easy access to mass communication with a global reach combined with the American emphasis on success and achievement tempts us to believe – and to proclaim – that our call is always, always, always to “set the world on fire” and “change the world” and go big and loud and put ourselves out there.
Sometimes. But as a goal – that invariably becomes an exercise in egotism, pointing towards the self rather than Christ.
The movement of the Spirit points us, first of all, the place we’re living, relating and yes, working. Start there, be open, love the people in front of you sacrificially, go to sleep, wake up and do it again. The present moment in the place we’re in right now cries out for sanctification – and to be always looking out there for bigger fields as those most worthy of our presence and efforts ignores the consistent call of Christ and model of yes, the saints. Who are worth listening to, maybe even more than the filtered inspirinfluencers on your feed.
I applied myself above all to practice quite hidden little acts of virtue; thus I liked to fold the mantles forgotten by the Sisters, and sought a thousand opportunities of rendering them service.…..
******
Our Lord’s love shines out just as much through a little soul who yields completely to His Grace as it does through the greatest . . . Just as the sun shines equally on the cedar and the little flower, so the Divine Sun shines equally on everyone, great and small. Everything is ordered for their good, just as in nature the seasons are so ordered that the smallest daisy comes to bloom at its appointed time…..
-St. Therese of Lisieux
I had to work really, really hard and valiantly resist the temptation to entitle this post “Bloom where you’re planted.” You’re welcome.
Charlotte was Both 