Little Things With Great Love

VEE: For the past several days Ive been helping my mom move and it has been especially trying because she doesnt like moving and is in a bad mood. Good thing she doesnt know about this blog! :P Yesterday in the midst of the final load (we still have to unpack, oh joy) I started to understand more what St Therese meant when she said to do little things with great love. Here I was in the midst of unavoidable and seemingly unpleasant work yet through the grace of God I realized what He sees is my heart. He wants me to first focus on Him then to do whatever job out of love for Him, or as the Jesuits put it, for the greater glory of God. It deosnt matter what task I or anyone else is doing, from sweeping the floor to open heart surgery, if one doesnt have that love of God there. Its so easy to get distracted and carried away in the work and not even think of such things and thats why Therese's little way is so hard. At least for me.

At the same time some people may have trouble because they think they have to consciously be thinking "ok Im doing this with great love, Im doing this with great love" and if they dont think that then whatever task didnt count to God and thats not the case. God is not an accountant! A simple morning offering with the intention to love and please God is enough. He understands if we forget, mess up etc during the day and He isnt going to smite us for not loving Him enough with each task. It is by His grace and love that we are able to do anything good or pleasing to Him anyway. Alone I cannot write even this. Alone I am wretchedness and sinfulness but with God because He loved me first He gives me the ability to not offend Him but rather please Him.

DS: I have just the "little" love to perform this exercise. I feel like I need God more and more to show me how to love. One of the questions I first asked when I began my discernment into religious life was, "God, how does one as small as me, love One as great as you? And really really love, not just with mere words?" I believe now that God is showing me how to love by placing in my path people to love. The love of neighbor is intrisically and profoundly bound to the love we have for the Almighty God. At the same time, St. Terese's "little way" cannot be done as perfectly as when you have another to share your "little way" with. I am grateful to God for those he has put into my life to love and cherish. I feel if I can love my family and friends, I am definitely learning every day how to love God.