Joyful Witness / Kimberly Pohovey

Saints’ lives remind us small acts with great love glorify God

When I was young, I fancied myself as growing up to do big things. I wasn’t necessarily consumed with fame, but I wanted to do or be something important and affect the lives of many.

As I matured, I came to understand that I wouldn’t be famous or important. And as I age, I realize that my contributions to the world are small—but heartfelt.

I’ve made my peace with small. I realize that God has equipped me with the talents to make small contributions that do affect many. We have no idea how one small gesture to another can create a ripple effect.

“Maybe God has a bigger plan for us than we have for ourselves.” This is a line from a sappy Nicholas Sparks movie titled A Walk to Remember that I watched eons ago, and it stuck with me. Only, I’ve learned that the bigger plan God has in store for me is in small acts and ordinary days.

Years ago, I watched a Hallmark movie titled The Magic of Ordinary Days. While the female lead in the movie dreams of making a scientific breakthrough, she learns that it is in the mundane, everyday life that we actually make our mark.

We have lots of examples of saints who show us a simple way to glorify God.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux, also known as the “Little Flower,” lived a simple yet deeply spiritual life, offering her small daily sacrifices to God. She taught that holiness could be achieved through ordinary acts of love and trust in God’s mercy.

St. Teresa of Calcutta famously said, “We can do no great things, only small acts with great love.” In this quote, she wasn’t downplaying the things that we could achieve, but perhaps she was suggesting the size of our achievements are great in the context of God and the powers of a being greater than ourselves.

How can we perform such small acts of kindness? A smile, a compliment or simply living your life with a joyful spirit is anything but simple. When carried out with the love God commands of us, these seemingly small gestures become a sacred way of life.

As I write this, I am looking out at the ocean at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It occurs to me that I normally equate the ocean with the mighty waves. But it’s the millions of tiny grains of sand that form the foundation of the ocean.

When you look back at your life, will it be the grand gestures you remember? Or the thousands of small and steady kindnesses that people have shown you?
 

(Kimberly Pohovey is a member of Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish in Indianapolis. She is the director of major and planned gifts for the archdiocese.) †