“The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones.” – Luke 16:10
Small children are usually eager to help their parents, even if they are too little to offer much assistance. They like to hold the wrench while dad fixes the car. They like to tag along while mom waters the flowers. They simply enjoy being considered “big enough” to help.
Dorothy, a student at Stella Maris Secondary School, one of the schools participating in CARITAS' Catholic child sponsorship programs in Uganda, helps Geraldine, one of the sponsored children from Providence Home pushing her wheelchair.
Now, parents know that they themselves must do the real work. They understand that the kids might get in the way more than anything else. Nonetheless, parents will still encourage their kids to join in, because it helps them to grow and learn.
And before too long, the child who once only held the wrench is turning it too. Soon the child is watering the flowers on his own. Eventually he is grown up and can truly work right alongside mom and dad.
Something similar might be said of our efforts to serve those in need. Ultimately, our Heavenly Father is the one who accomplishes this task, not us. As our Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday says, “He raises the needy from the dust; lifts the poor from the ash heap” (Ps. 113:7). God doesn’t need our help, but He invites us to join Him so that we can learn how to imitate His love and participate in His labor. He wants us to become His co-workers, even if all we can do at first is stand by His side and hold a wrench.
And it makes sense that we must start small. In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus encourages His followers to serve God and to begin by being faithful in small matters. This lesson is key. How can we expect to do great things, to help transform the world and usher in the peace and justice of God’s Kingdom, unless we first learn how to perform the simple acts of love that lie right before our eyes?
We might not be able to feed a hundred people, but as Mother Teresa said, we could feed just one. We might not be able to travel to the poorest parts of the globe, but we can show our love by writing a letter to a child living in Haiti or Uganda. We might not be able to prevent wars, but we can start doing more to love our neighbors.
If we respond to all the little opportunities to love that come our way, then slowly God will entrust us with the grace to accomplish greater things. If we just show up faithfully, then He will help us grow from kids into co-workers. And in the end, if it be His will, we will marvel with joy at what we have helped Him achieve; the wondrous work of our salvation.
Merciful Father, give us the grace to be faithful in small matters so that someday we may carry out great deeds of love, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
