Finding God in cooking, cleaning and the everyday ordinary
Though Jesus is human, He is God. We will never fully comprehend Him. I think that is one of the reasons why He used so many of these “I AM” statements. He is revealing more of Himself to us using metaphors we are able to grasp, even if only a little.
Today, I wanted to take some time to reflect on how each one of us is called to a share of Christ’s priesthood.
Free lock screen wallpapers for 2023 featuring prayers for the monthly Catholic devotions.
On this week’s video, I talk about how Jesus is teaching His disciples that forgiveness is more than an action, it is a habit. If you were to do something 77 times, you would be well on your way to forming a habit. Jesus’ use of the the double 7 in 77 is symbolic as well as practical. 7 is a perfect number in the biblical sense (think the 7 days of creation) and the repetitive use here can indicate a certain abundance of the ideal. The commentary given by the USCCB website offers this beautiful phase, “limitless forgiveness.” What a world we could create if we each had a habit of limitless forgiveness.
In raising my children and getting to know each of them as unique individuals, I’ve come to discover that everyone comes into their habits differently. What works for one kid doesn’t always work for another. I have always known our oldest tends to learn one thing at a time well. He was like that even as a baby, I may have even shared this here before so excuse the repetitive story. It felt like it took John forever to walk, he actually didn’t let go of furniture until after his sister was born. He got everywhere he wanted to go by holding hands, cruising along the couches and chairs, or by pushing a laundry basket. But, once he decided he was ready to let go, he could run across the room without falling. The same story goes for talking. Hardly any words and then full sentences in a matter of weeks.
John is 12 now and we are working on building good habits that he can carry into adulthood. There are so many things I would like to teach him, to help him understand that life would be so much easier if just remembered his chores instead of me pestering him about them. There are even a few habits I thought we had down already, only to discover this new pre-teen lackadaisical attitude toward things like brushed teeth and listening skills really need to be recalled ASAP. I’m sure I’m not the only parent with these kinds of feelings.
As I think back on how John has grown, it should not be surprising to me that when I try to force a number of new habits on him at once, it isn’t going to go well. However, encouraging him to focus on one thing at a time, here we make some real progress. As his mom, I then have the opportunity to praise him for those efforts in this one specific area and really build him up in his ability to grow and mature while transitioning to the next good habit he needs in order to thrive as a teen and adult. Small success, small steps in the overall direction forward. It is also encouraging him to learn more about himself and how he best learns and grows which will ultimately help him in his relationships throughout life.
Turning the tables, I have been pondering how I best instill a new habit in myself. I’ve come up with a few criteria that need to be in place before a new habit can be formed. Perhaps my list will inspire you as well.
What about habits like Jesus is talking about, the inner, intangible habits. Things like forgiveness, patience, empathy, silence, joy. These are a harder, as they happen at random, aren’t usually tied to physical objects, and can take any number of minutes or hours to fully process. Here are some suggestions:
We have the amazing ability to be able to share our thoughts and opinions with the world via the internet. While not all of us have a million followers on Instagram or whatever Twitter is called these days, the things we share on the internet last. Time and again we are seeing how mistakes in the past are coming back to haunt politicians of all flavors, celebrities, and other more famous individuals. Post a picture, it’s there for ever. Say something overly negative about a particular person you have a problem with, it can be found at a later, likely very inconvenient, time.
Jesus’ advice in today’s Gospel is so important, and not because we are concerned about who is going to uncover what. There are, of course, many wonderful things about the interconnectivity of the internet, the ability to dialogue with people in other places beyond even your own country, and the way knowledge can be shared across a massive number of people. It’s amazing to fathom the positive possibilities the internet can bring.
However, there are downsides. One of the big struggles I have with the internet is the impersonal way it allows us to relate to one another. I can’t see a person’s hurt expression if I make an unkind comment. I can’t read facial expressions to understand what is sarcasm and what is a misunderstanding. I don’t see tears welling in someone’s eyes at hurtful comments made by others. These social cues are nonexistent in the online atmosphere.
Jesus’ approach is so different from how disagreements get handled online. Jesus says to go to the person in private and have a conversation with them. Find out if there is a misunderstanding, apologize if needed. Take the time to seek that person out and make them feel valued and heard so that the disagreement can peacefully be reconciled. If this doesn’t work, then include others into the conversation.
This one-on-one approach is vital for the building up of families and communities. How many of us have been doubly hurt when a situation got aired out in front of others instead of remaining between the two people who it pertained to? How often have you seen a group turn on a person who they know nothing about, but because the grievance got posted online now that person is being hit from all sides?
The next time you have an issue with someone, consider Jesus’ words. Are you seeking healing and reconciliation by sharing about the struggle in a public space, or just looking to vent and possibly due harm to that person’s reputation? Is the issue important enough for you to take time out of your own schedule to meet with that person, or share a phone call? If you were on the other end of this event, how would you want it handled?
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit speaks in sweet whispers, sometimes through the words or actions of other people. Sometimes, in the stillness of a sunset or in the beauty of a soaring falcon.
Or, in work. Sometimes, for me at least, the Holy Spirit speaks to me in extra work. Today, I am frantically writing my Gospel reflections that are due to the Diocesan blog. The blog asks that the writers submit their reflections 3-4 months in advance so that they can be translated into Spanish as well. This is great!
However, it’s less great when I am rushing, don’t pay attention to the calendar on the USCCB website which I use to find out what Gospels I’m reflecting on. Sometimes, when I’m switching from the calendar view to the day view, the calendar bounces back to my current month, rather than staying ahead. And sometimes, like today, I completely disregard the gigantic letters telling me that this calendar is for August instead of January.
So, now I have a lovely reflection for August 21, 2023. Yes, that date has passed. Thankfully, God’s words are eternal so rather than wait 3 years for the cycle of readings to come back around, I’ll just share it here.
I know that this is a moment of humbleness and appreciation for the inspiration the Holy Spirit gives me for these reflections. And while I’m not complaining, maybe He could clue me into the plan before I get a full blown reflection written and nearly submitted. Maybe, but let’s be honest, clearly His ways are not my ways. And also clearly, His ways will always be the best ways.
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Wouldn’t it be so nice there was some kind of checklist we could utilize to get into heaven? That’s essentially what this young man is asking for. What can I do in exchange for heaven? As if heaven was a car (or in his case, I guess camel?) to be purchased in exchange for a specific amount of money.
Jesus, in His pastoral way of teaching, engages in conversation with this young man. He offers a broad answer to the man’s specific question. When the man insists further, wanting to know the bottom line so he can check that box and move on with certainty, Jesus lays it all on the line for him.
Heaven isn’t a prize to be won or an achievement to be earned. Heaven, salvation, is a free gift of God’s love and goodness. Heaven is something we receive.
Think about a football player who wants to make a winning touchdown catch. If he’s holding a water bottle, extra cleats, a sweat band, and a marker for autographs while waving to the crowd, he’s never going to catch anything. He has to have his hands completely empty, and his whole mind and body are focused on that single catch.
Eternity with God isn’t something we can earn. We will never be good enough, deserving enough, or great enough. This sounds disheartening, but I find St. Térèse of Lisieux’s elevator metaphor to be so perfect for when the reality of our unworthiness is on display. Térèse said,
“I, too, would like to find an elevator to lift me up to Jesus, for I am too little to climb the rough stairway of perfection….The elevator which must raise me to the heavens is Your arms, O Jesus! For that I do not need to grow; on the contrary, I must necessarily remain small, become smaller. O my God, You have surpassed what I expected, and I want to sing Your mercies.’”
Jesus’ greatest desire is for all of us to be in Heaven with the Father. We come to heaven, not by our own merits, but by His. We have to receive them with open hands, unencumbered by pride, selfishness, vainglory, or greed for the prizes of this world. When we lift those empty hands, as Térèse says, we will be raised up in the arms of Jesus Himself, to go to the Father who loves us dearly.
Daily Graces 