Small Beginnings

Have you heard country music singer Martina McBride’s song, “Anyway”? The lyrics go like this:

“God is great, but sometimes life ain't good

When I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should

But I do it anyway..."

Someone wise told me to not despise small beginnings. Think about it - companies do not become successful overnight. Meaningful friendships take time to build. And some of life’s big lessons are learned after looking in the rear-view mirror. If we hope to build our faith and our church, we need to recognize the power each of us holds in ourselves, however small. We all have something to offer, whether we realize it or not. Have you ever had someone tell you about a time when you did or said something that had a great impact on them? We often don’t know how we influence others, but it happens all the time. You might have said something today that will impact a person 10 years from now.

I recently watched a documentary on the life of Vietnam’s late Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. The story focused mostly on his 13 years in prison, during the Vietnam War, when he was a bishop, most of which he spent in solitary confinement. He said he was miserable because he was helpless in prison and couldn't do anything for his diocese. He loved and greatly missed his people. Then one day while sitting in his dark cell, he heard a voice tell him that while Christ was on the cross and appeared helpless, that was the moment when he saved the whole world. The bishop began to love and befriend the prison guards one by one. Many prisoners and guards trusted him, and converted. He was eventually released from prison, became Cardinal, and celebrated Mass with the pope. What a life.

Most of us do not have stories of such magnitude, but we should not underestimate how the seeds we plant today will grow. Our task is to love and to share the gospel. It’s enormous, but we can start small. I worry about the goals I plan to accomplish in my everyday life – career, hobbies, family, friends, travel, house, home, etc. It’s a long list, and it’s important to me. But how important is everything on the list, really? We can start small.

One final thought - we learn from our priests and rely on them for support, but at the same time we need to pray for them. They are often overworked. Let’s pray for more vocations to the priesthood because we need them now more than ever. Even if our prayers “don’t always turn out like we think they should”, we should pray anyway. The Holy Spirit will hear us, empower us and light the way. 

- Written by: Susan Eick