“Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5).
The other day I woke up in a bad mood.
Just a normal part of my weak human nature and I tell you what, it was a rotten morning.
And so, as I was muttering angrily to myself that morning I thought I really am going to need some Divine intervention to help me to get through this morning without really hurting someone else’s feelings today…
And so, as crazy as it may sound, I prayed a little prayer for the strength to be better in my interactions with others.
Thankfully, after some hours of daylight, I was able to shake the nasty feeling and present a much more civilised appearance for the rest of the world – and I only have God to thank for that, because I was completely incapable of turning my day around that day…
But I have been thinking about this very small triumph over my own bad mood on that morning. Because it has occurred to me that this small victory over my own weakness – which occurred through Grace and no merit of my own – is the pattern that I should be following for every single small thing.
Christ said, “He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10).
And really this is a theoretical explanation of what happened to me…
You see, the sin of pride is the Original Sin because it is the root cause of all other sin… When Eve (and later Adam) decided to succumb to the temptation of the Serpent and eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they did so in disobedience to God because in their PRIDE they were convinced that they KNEW better than God did about what was good for them…
And when I am proud enough to think that I could at least triumph in the small things – the bad mood in the morning or the quick temper in the car park or on the street – that is when I let the Evil One in…
And that is why Christ tells us continually that He loves the meek and HUMBLE… “Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5).
And these small things are the basis – the foundation – of faith. Saint Josemaría said, “‘Great’ holiness consists in carrying out the ‘little duties’ of each moment.” For it is in those SMALL things – those “little duties” that holiness is born. You see, if I wish to be a saint, I cannot wait for a big test. Big tests are passed because we have practiced on the small tests first.
And so, as I wake up today – in yet another bad mood – I call out to my God for strength. For I am a daughter of Eve, and yet, I have learned, that there is nothing I can decided and nothing I can do without my Lord and my God…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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