Saturday August 31, 2024

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. (1 Corinthians 1:26)

Good News Reflection for:

Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
August 31, 2024

Today’s Readings:

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Ps 33:12-13,18-21
Matthew 25:14-30
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/083124.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-august-31-2024

Why it’s important to turn small thinking into greatness

“Smallness thinking” is the decision (often made unconsciously) to reduce what is possible by down-sizing God to our level. How do we do that? By projecting human limitations onto God.

Smallness thinking is ruled by fear: “I’m afraid that striving for a bigger goal will be disastrous.” Why? Because we experienced it before or we witnessed disasters that happened to other people who should have succeeded but failed. While understandable, it’s still important to remember why it’s important to turn smallness-thinking into greatness.

Did you seek God’s will? Were those other people guided by God? The answer might be, “Yes, I thought so.” This can make trying again become very intimidating.

Smallness thinking is often powered by the idea that “I’m too insignificant for God to do anything great though me.” Is this really what God thinks of us?

Smallness thinking is not humility. It works against the plans of God, because God is in no way small. God’s thoughts are much higher than our thoughts; he sees a bigger picture. He knows how great is the need for big plans enacted by big thinkers to make a big difference in the world.

We can choose greatness – the greatness that comes from linking ourselves closely to our Great God through whom we can do anything that he wants us to do and without whom we can do nothing good. Or we can choose smallness.

When we settle for smallness, we miss the reality of who God really is and what God really wants. To glimpse the bigness of what God really wants, all we need to do is look around. The need to spread God’s kingdom is huge. Think it’s too big a need for you to handle? Yes it is if you think you have do it all by yourself. That’s why we are all called to participate in building the faith of others. We do it together! God’s great plans require joint effort.

God’s greatness is in you. It’s evidenced in how you give of yourself. 

© 2024 by Terry A. Modica

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