"Small"


4th Sunday of Advent 


Luke 1:39-45

The readings are in exultation of what is small. I'm immediately reminded of the spirituality of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, "The Little Way".  It calls for the sanctification of life using the ordinary and everyday things.

We don't need to look for the greatest acts that will lead us to heaven.  Heaven is right here in the midst if we care to see the profound.  Surely God is in the most ordinary things.

The first ordinary being is us.  No matter what exultation we do to ourselves, we cannot deny our littleness before the whole world, before others, and most especially, before God.  But nevertheless, we are loved by the Lord with such profundity.  In Psalm 8, it says, "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" We must be so loved by the Lord more than we love ourselves.

The second ordinary being is the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In the Magnificat, she sang, "for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations shall call me blessed."  Even now, she never fails to lead us to God the moment we think of her.

And last but certainly not the least, our Lord Jesus, our birthday celebrant, the tiny child who was born of poor parents in a lowly stable and be visited by the poor shepherds.  We can only look at the Blessed Image with such devotion and constantly remind ourselves that it is not in being proud that we are saved, but by the humility of Jesus.

May these inspire us to take the humblest path to sanctification.

Comments