In prayer earlier this week, I was trying to come up with a way to tell God how much I love Him, and I quickly found that words were inadequate for expressing what I wanted to say. To my surprise, out of my mouth came a prayer that I am convinced I did not come up with on my own:
“Lord, I want to show You with my life how much I love You.”
I have meditated on those words quite a bit since I prayed them. That prayer, I’ve realized, is the bottom line when it comes to our life on earth. When we appear before our Creator for our particular judgment, all that will matter is if we truly loved God and one another. Every second of our lives is a chance to love.
This realization has affected how I approach even the smallest things at work. I’ve found that keeping that prayer in mind has had a big effect even on little things I would not have given a second thought. I am a teacher, and this week for me is pre-planning before school starts Monday. I was using the paper cutter, and as I was about to leave the workroom, I stopped and thought, “I need to clean up after myself so the custodians don’t have to.” I also noticed other teachers had left scrap paper behind on the table and on the floor, so I picked that up as well for the same reason. Certainly that was no great accomplishment, and many folks would see picking up after oneself as basic cleanliness and courtesy. But, because I tend to be a bit messy, and even lazy, this small task was a big improvement over how I would have left the workroom in the past. I’ve found that throughout the week, keeping those words in mind has helped me choose the better thing over taking the easy way out.
St Therese of Lisieux practiced what she called her “Little Way” of loving God. She says, “Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.”
Few among us can accomplish the heroic deeds of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. But each of us can do the duties of our state in life with love. St Therese of Lisieux advises, “Let us not refuse Him even the smallest sacrifice. . .even picking up a pin, if it is done through love, can convert a soul. What a great mystery! It is Jesus alone who can give such value to our actions; let us love Him with all our hearts.”
Another thought I had is that this prayer is true for everyone by default, since how we live our lives is the measure of our love for God. If we are selfish and sinful, then we show that we have little or no love for Him. If instead we strive for holiness, keeping His commands and loving one another as He has loved us, then our whole life becomes a love letter to Him.
Recommended Prayers:
Aspiration of Love to Jesus Christ by St. Alphonsus Liguori
Act of Love by the Cure d’Ars, St. John Mary Vianney
Yes, indeed. That is a prayer we all need to pray. I will begin now.
Thank you,
Tim
Hi Rebecca,
This is Joanne from SPCD. I so enjoy your writing.
My answers always come in Hymn forms. Like you I was always a singer in ther choir and over the years so many songs have come to mind when I needed answers.
Keep up the good writing. It is very inspiring. I know it will speak to others hearts like it does mine.
Joanne