Ministry Tip of the Week
by Seth Evangelho
 | Last week I introduced the first of St. John Bosco's three characteristics of holiness. This week, the focus is on the second. Along with an authentic, Christian cheerfulness, St. John Bosco encouraged his struggling young orphan boys to pray for the grace to DO THE TASK AT HAND. |
I think we can interpret this in two ways. The first is obvious enough. The emphasis is on the "Do." If we want to grow in holiness, we must grow in the "virtue" of responsibility. Our ability to fight against laziness and to get done what needs to get done is fundamental to our growth in the spiritual life. Responsible behavior aids our growth in holiness, for as we learn to keep our word and live well our day-to-day tasks we simultaneously grow in the strength to fight against sloth (or spiritual laziness).
But there is a second interpretation. Here, the emphasis is on the "at hand." Have you ever been overwhelmed by your To Do List? (Am I ever NOT overwhelmed by it!) St. John Bosco reminds us not to get ahead of ourselves by trying to do too much. The mission of the Church is enormous, and our part is small (but important) in the great scheme of things. Sometimes it feels like we're carrying the world. What a helpless feeling that is.
What does the Holy Spirit have in store for you today? What is the task at hand? My problem is that I'm rarely personal enough about this question. There are a million needs. How can I ever do it all? And so I'm constantly reminding myself of something: Just because there's a need doesn't mean there's a call. My first task each day is to receive my marching orders. "What, Holy Spirit, is your task for me?" This definitely means learning to say "no" to people sometimes (or, at least "not yet").
The mission is long-term, and all healthy goals are daunting if we think they must be done today. The small, simple steps are the most important tasks necessary to reach our goals. But they're also the easiest to overlook, and to even downplay as unproductive or irrelevant. It's so easy to get ahead of ourselves, to overwhelm ourselves by the greater work we're a part of. The task at hand is a much smaller work. And, with God's grace, it's doable. Learning to build the kingdom slowly, but steadily, and focused on our small but valuable role, is part of our path to sanctity.
But there is a second interpretation. Here, the emphasis is on the "at hand." Have you ever been overwhelmed by your To Do List? (Am I ever NOT overwhelmed by it!) St. John Bosco reminds us not to get ahead of ourselves by trying to do too much. The mission of the Church is enormous, and our part is small (but important) in the great scheme of things. Sometimes it feels like we're carrying the world. What a helpless feeling that is.
What does the Holy Spirit have in store for you today? What is the task at hand? My problem is that I'm rarely personal enough about this question. There are a million needs. How can I ever do it all? And so I'm constantly reminding myself of something: Just because there's a need doesn't mean there's a call. My first task each day is to receive my marching orders. "What, Holy Spirit, is your task for me?" This definitely means learning to say "no" to people sometimes (or, at least "not yet").
The mission is long-term, and all healthy goals are daunting if we think they must be done today. The small, simple steps are the most important tasks necessary to reach our goals. But they're also the easiest to overlook, and to even downplay as unproductive or irrelevant. It's so easy to get ahead of ourselves, to overwhelm ourselves by the greater work we're a part of. The task at hand is a much smaller work. And, with God's grace, it's doable. Learning to build the kingdom slowly, but steadily, and focused on our small but valuable role, is part of our path to sanctity.
RSS Feed