Small Matters

by Dcn. Wayland Moncrief

It is He, the God of mercies, who fills us with confidence. With Him, we do not feel alone, or useless, or abandoned, but rather, involved in a plan of salvation that one day will lead to Paradise. He uses and disposes everything for the salvation of our soul. He does not fail to look after the good of each of His children, even those who seem most alone and abandoned. Only the misuse of freedom can render God’s help sterile. But forgiveness is always possible. It is always possible to open the doors and let hope enter in.

God has a great love for us, as if, each of us were His only child. He never abandons us in our pilgrimage on earth. He looks for us, even when through our own fault. we have lost Him. He loves us with deeds, disposing everything for the good of our soul. The love of our earthly mother and father, with all its warmth, is only a pale reflection of God’s love. God is faithful to His promises in spite of our failings or our lack of loyalty.

In today’s Gospel Our Lord warns us: let your loins be girt about you and your lamps burning. He wants us to be always vigilant because the enemy never rests. He says, be like men waiting for their master’s return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks you can open the door without delay.

In those days, the Jews wore loose-fitting garments: long robes. A belt was used to secure their garments in order to perform needed chores. To gird one’s loins was a graphic example of the one prepared for a journey, disposed for a struggle, or ready for work. Similarly, to keep the lamps burning is the attitude of one who keeps watch. When at the end of our lives our Lord arrives, He should find us prepared, awake and vigilant, like someone who lives for that day, who serves completely out of love.

He should find us giving due value to earthly affairs – serving others, making the world a more just, human, and Christian place. Only a little time separates us from our encounter with Christ. Each day brings us a little closer to eternity.

Whenever it may be, we do not know the day nor the hour, it will always seem that life has passed too quickly. And, if the Lord comes on the second or third watch – in adulthood, or at old age – He warns us to remain constantly vigilant, so that once we have completed our time on earth we may go into the wedding feast and be counted as one of the chosen.

For those who have preferred to live with their backs to God, He will arrive completely unexpectedly, as a thief in the night. Know this: if the owner of the house knew when the thief was to arrive, he would not allow him to steal his belongings. You, therefore, must be prepared.

As Saint John Chrysostom said, those who place greater care in guarding their riches, rather than their souls, are confused. An attitude of vigilance is opposed to negligence or carelessness which denote a certain weakness of the will.

We are vigilant, and guard our souls from the thief, when we assess our spiritual lives, our discipleship, make a good examination of conscience, and take a good look at the way we behave. In this, we will see that we are full of faults that harm us and those around us.

Remember, my child, that microbes are no less a menace than wild beasts. Just as bacteria is cultivated in the laboratory, so we cultivate faults and errors with our lack of humility, our lack of prayer, our failure to fulfill our duty, or our lack of self-knowledge. We must be vigilent because those tiny germs will infect and destroy our souls.

The Lord should find us prepared at whatever hour He chooses to call. We will be vigilant in love, and far from lukewarm, if we remain faithful in the little things of each day. Our Lord said, “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones.” If we consider these little details in the examination of conscience, we will easily find the signals that show us the way, and those that lead us astray.

Little things are the prelude to greater things. We need to make definite resolutions to improve. If we start by learning to be faithful in small matters. it will lead to our sanctification. He, who pays no attention to things that appear to lack importance, falls into the greatest temptations.

Saint Francis de Sales emphasizes the importance of conquering small temptations, for there are many occasions to do so during the day, and many victories in small things are more important than a single great victory.

Small daily victories strengthen the interior life and make the soul more sensitive to divine things. We are certain, that for all the battles we win against those small enemies. there will be a precious stone placed in the crown of glory that God prepares for us in His holy kingdom.

Against each temptation, against all those things in ourselves or others that may separate us from God, if we respond with an act of love, we will be filled with peace, and that which could have been an offense against God will become a victory against Satan.

Furthermore, writes the saint, when the devil sees that his temptations move us to love God, he will cease to tempt us. If we are faithful in little things we will be girded, vigilant, on the alert when our Lord arrives. Our life will have been a joyful wait, while we joyfully carry out the task our Lord has entrusted to us in the world. Then we will fully understand the words of Jesus: “Happy the servant whom his master finds thus on his return”. Truly I say to you that he shall be placed at the head of all his possessions. Our Lord's arrival is near at hand; we should always remain vigilant.

A wise and insightful philosopher once said, “the heart of every problem is a problem in the heart.” Continual progress in the small matters purifies our hearts. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God.”

Baruch Hashem!

This homily is an adaptation of a homily given by Fr. Francis Fernandez from his book entitled, In Conversation with God.1

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