St. Teresa of Calcutta is known for the heroic love she had for the poor who lived in the streets of Calcutta. She often said, “Do little things with great love.” This always gave me courage that I, too, could be a saint. Simultaneously, this way of being is the beauty of the life of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Mary and Joseph lived ordinary lives and raised their Son in that simple and humble life. Mary would carry water jars to and from the well, cook meals, clean their simple home, and look after their growing Son. Joseph worked to provide for the family with a trade handed down through the generations. They lived ordinary lives and carried out ordinary actions, but they became extraordinary by sharing them with Him who is Love Himself.
This is a striking example as we go through the routine of each day. We are not all called to spend ourselves in extraordinary ways, but it is easy to forget this truth and focus our hearts and minds elsewhere. if only we can remember that Joseph and Mary were like you and me in so many ways and that our beloved Savior shared the mundane ordinary moments in life. The majority of us are called to live like the Holy Family: simple, humble lives filled with the love of our Triune God. This will flit through my mind as I prepare a meal for my Sisters or clean a portion of our convent. We could not have greater role models to lead us along the narrow path, the way of the Holy Family, which makes the ordinary extraordinary.
~ Written by Sister M. Madeleine