Saturday August 27, 2022

For you this week:

• Reflection for Saturday: Why it’s important to turn smallness-thinking into greatness
• Inside the Ministry: A test of commitment
• This week’s faith-builders:
  (1) Living in God’s Abundance
  (2) The Tears of Saint Monica
• Footsteps to Heaven re-podcast: Prayers for Your Lost Loved Ones

This week’s Trivia Challenge: Where did Saint Monica live? (Check your answer at the end of this newsletter.)

Saturday August 27, 2022
Memorial of Saint Monica

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Ps 33:12-13,18-21
Matthew 25:14-30
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082722.cfm
Podcast:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-08-27-usccb-daily-mass-readings

Saints Calendar:
gnm.org/saints-find/saints-calendar

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. (From Saturday’s first reading)

Reflection for Saturday: Why it’s important to turn smallness-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. 

Inside the Ministry: A test of commitment

Since the founding of Good News Ministries in 1995, we’ve been making a big difference in the lives of countless people — the kind of “big” that’s only possible through joint effort.

Part of our unique calling has always been to depend so fully on the Lord that we don’t charge for any of our services.

We don’t want anyone to be excluded from what could help them grow in faith. The rare times that GNM resources have a price tag is by a suggested donation only. We make everything available to everyone at no cost. We won’t even offer premium content as a reward for donations. And we use several different technologies to reach people no matter where they live. Everything is available to everyone who wants it! That’s our commitment.

Finding enough help to keep this going has always been time consuming and kind of like walking on water. It’s a test of faith. Will we keep moving forward or will we sink?

Right now, we are being tested like never before, thanks to runaway inflation in the US and so many other places around the world. We should be reaching the much-needed mid-year boost of US$35,000 by now, but we’re only halfway there. Time is running out!

I hear the Tempter saying, “You have to reduce the staff’s work hours. And why don’t you retire? Go away. Shut it down. You’ll never have to worry about it again.”

My reply: “Praise the Lord God Almighty! He will provide for whatever he asks us to do. Jesus leads, grace provides.” (The photo above shows this illustrated in our office 10 years ago by a teenager who worked for GNM.)

The thing is, God’s grace provides for this ministry through people. The very same people who are just as determined to pass the test as the staff and I are! This is why it’s important to turn smallness-thinking into greatness for us personally!

Are you determined to trust God and walk on water with us? Your prayers help but obviously we cannot continue without people championing Good News Ministries with generous donations. To take a step (large or small) out of the boat — and to provide the Catholic faith to those who cannot or will not step forward — please go to gnm.org/donate. Please!

Thank you.

This week’s recommended faith-builders:
Want to live in God’s abundance?

Hint: We think we know what’s best for us, but God has something even better in mind – far better.

Download my ebook “Living in God’s Abundance.” This PDF 28-page ebook contains 12 inspiring reflections beautifully illustrated with gorgeous photography. Get your free downloadable copy @ gnm.org/terry-modica-author/living-in-Gods-abundance.

The Tears of Saint Monica

The tears of Saint Monica and the golden words of St. Ambrose led to the conversion of her son, St. Augustine of Hippo. Sorrow expressed in prayer is very valuable. There’s nothing wrong with getting emotional and pouring all our sadness upon God. Our tears are like precious diamonds for Jesus; they are not bullets that shoot our frustrations heavenward to force God to hurry up and make things better. Each tear is itself a prayer. When you’re tired of using words, just cry.

Our tears, given to God in a moment of surrender, are very precious prayer-diamonds that he treasures and holds delicately. For the moment, we’ve quit trying to change what we cannot change. We might still want to, but while we’re crying we have stopped trying. In that humble surrender, we give God clearance to move in and comfort us. Above all, humble surrender reminds us why it’s important to turn smallness-thinking into greatness without becoming overly self-important.

For the Litany of Saint Monica and a Novena to Saint Monica, visit gnm.org/prayers/prayers-for-parents/st-monica-litany.

WordBytes is a library of Catholic faith-building articles by Good News Ministries. Come on in and explore! Visit WordBytes.org today.

Prayers for Your Lost Loved Ones (re-podcast)

Who’s causing you to suffer because they have turned away from Christ and perhaps even from you and your family? Their rejection hurts and you feel the pain of knowing that their eternal soul is in danger. In Matthew 18:12-14, Jesus says that your Father in heaven is not willing that any of your lost loved ones should perish. Your prayers will be answered! In this popular episode, I share some prayers for your lost loved ones and provide hope and reassurance that your prayers do make a difference.

This episode includes:

• Rosary of Liberation with Daily Prayer Offering
• Prayer of Authority to Conquer Demons
• Prayer For Release From Ancestral Curses

You can download and print these prayers from our website. To download them and to watch the video, go to gnm-media.org/prayers-for-your-lost-loved-ones.

Or listen to this podcast @ gnm.org/footsteps56.

Answer to this week’s Trivia Challenge:
Where did Saint Monica live? North Africa (present-day Algeria).

God bless you!

Every morning, I lift up in prayer everyone who helps Good News Ministries in any way (donors, volunteers, prayer supporters, etc.) and all the prayer requests posted on our site. What can I cover in prayer for you? Post your prayer request.

How else can the team and I serve you today? Visit our homepage.

Let’s connect in GNM’s own SmartCatholics community, called Good News Faith Builders. I’m available to interact with you there.

Thank you for reading this newsletter.

Your servant in Christ,
Terry Modica, Executive Director
Good News Ministries
gnm.org

Find this and past issues at gnm.org/newsletter. Please share what will minister to others.