Ordinary Living

Sometimes I wonder if my life is doing any good or am I just living to pay bills. During those times, I know I’m heading into a rut. So I quickly remind myself of Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk who lived during the 1600s. He had a way of making ordinary living extraordinary!

Brother Lawrence offered up everything in his daily routine to God—and I mean EVERYTHING. Running errands, doing chores, even picking a strand off the floor became acts of love for God. Doing so, Brother Lawrence was in a continual conversation with God, praising Him, thanking Him, asking for His grace.  

This monk's life has taught me that maintaining focus on God’s presence can help me with life's slumps and spiritual funks. Doubts, anxieties, and spiritual uncertainties can wreak havoc on our lives and faith. Even Brother Lawrence had his difficulties, but he persevered. Of course, that takes discipline which is not one of my stronger traits, but I'm working on it.

Transforming Goodness

By offering up what we do in our daily lives for the love of God, ordinary living can take on a whole new meaning and purpose. Consider all that we do in an ordinary day in terms of job, home life, relationships-–everything can become a prayerful offering of love to God. And if we do commit to offering up our daily living to God, don’t we also commit to being better at whatever we do? Do we start to notice a transformation?

Like Brother Lawrence, we can develop the habit of being in a continual conversation with God. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” [James 4: 8] In our conversations with God, we may find ourselves asking: What more can I do for you, dear Lord? And as our loving commitment grows, our faith strengthens, building up our resistance to temptation and sin. Our inner goodness comes through us by the way we live and treat ourselves and treat one another. 

Through our lives, we can express our love and gratitude for the graces and blessings God gives to each of us. What’s more, we discover we are able to step outside of our comfort zone to help those with greater needs than our own. These actions also express our obedience—our willingness to participate in God’s plan of salvation. Remember, with God nothing is impossible.

Path to Holiness

The love of God gives us our purpose in life. “You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.” [Psalm 16: 11] And as our relationship with our Lord deepens so does the desire for holiness.

We can feed that desire for holiness with the holy Eucharist. Jesus Christ nourishes us His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, enabling us to obey his Father’s will without hesitation, especially when we face our own cross. And with the Spirit of our Lord’s guidance, our holiness will grow through our daily routines, our trials, and our triumphs with the faith, hope, and love we have for God and for our world. That's extraordinary!

One final thought: We may never know the positive difference our ordinary lives make in the world, but God knows. So be it!