No Crowds--No Applause Here

Everyday---each person goes through the motions of living life—loving, caring, serving, helping—well just one act at a time: we are the hands and heart of Jesus. Sometimes however, we may feel I am not doing enough or I am not making a difference. That would be because for 99% of all people everywhere---the work we do, is done silently and unnoticed by all except the person who is on the receiving end of our love. So it is, because there is no applause or notoriety---sometimes negative thoughts enter in.

Lately, as each day goes by, and repetition of doing the same things over and over—like dishes, washing, cooking, going to work, eating etc---those thoughts of “Is that all there is?” slip into both of our minds. Yesterday, as we swam in the therapy pool---the Holy Spirit slipped in a very important insight of the necessity of experiencing this 'boredom.' "How can you relate to the needs and feeling of others, unless you experience them?" For instance, my husband is disabled due to a bad back and chronic pain he deals with. His surgery 4 years ago has made it even worse, as both legs were left numb from nerve damage. He is able to do some yard or house work, but only for short time, then feels the effect of that effort by more pain.

For the first time yesterday I really thought of what it was like to have that type of life. I also thought of what it was like to be like my friend with Cerebral Palsy, my niece in a wheel chair, folks living their days out in a nursing home, a dear friend dealing with leukemia, others with mental illnesses, and then there are all those parents raising their families. All of us are living one moment at a time---striving to live and live well and love as Jesus taught us how to love. The Blessed Mother is the BEST example of this moment to moment daily walk of living love and doing so with no expectations of applause, being noticed or people speaking our praises, or crowds clamoring to come and hear or see us. No, for 99% of all humans, the only stage we will ever be on is the STAGE OF LIFE.

Oh, but my beloved—Someone notices your every move and act of kindness. Someone is very proud of you and if that Being could, He would be hugging the dickens out of you---but due to His Power and Might—has to settle for those little ‘whispers’ of love He sends your way. “This is My Beloved Child—who I am well pleased with each and every day.” Oh yes, He is so very proud of you. I mean God did create you by His perfect design did He not?

Peace be with you then, dear ordinary one, who though very ordinary, you are so uniquely a one of a kind very special person---created by God to do only what you and only you can do, and to love like only you can love. All of those in Heaven and Purgatory are the crowds who applaud you!!! And, even though they don’t always say it---your family here on earth does too!