Do What We Are Supposed To Do
- PostEagle
- January 6, 2016
- Church / Religion News
- 0 Comments
When I was teaching, I always had to laugh at some of the things that kids would say. “Do we have to do anything today?” “Can we go outside for class?” “Can we have an open book test?”
What was most interesting was IF they did their homework , or some assignment, they would report… “I did my homework!” Like it was something special. Should they receive special credit?
Altar boys here are the same. Do they deserve special credit? No, they are only doing what they are supposed to do. No big deal.
It was the same with St. Maximilian Kolbe. At the age of ten, he dedicated himself to Our Lady. At thirteen, he joined the Franciscans. At sixteen, he took his vows. Due to tuberculosis, he was weakened and had the use of only one lung. But, he didn’t quit. Because he was soft spoken, he was made fun of, but he used his talents to spread the word of God in Poland and Japan. Because of his belief in God he was beaten, but he prayed for his attackers. He was thrown into Auschwitz – beaten, starved, forced to work, left in the cold. Other people with him turned to fighting and stealing. But St. Maximilian Kolbe shared what he had and helped his fellow prisoners. He heard their confessions. When a father/husband was condemned to death, St. Maximilian asked to take his place. He turned his torture cell into a chapel.
He was only doing what he was supposed to. What’s the big deal!
That’s why people are made saints… for doing what they are supposed to do.
God only asks that we do what we are supposed to do, no matter what our circumstances – if we are in Springfield, Boston, Newark, Washington or Auschwitz. If we did this, there would be no hunger or unemployment, no greed or selfishness, no stealing or vandalism, or pollution. We would all respect and love. There would be no war or violence, or hatred.
That’s ALL God asks us to do. Simply do what we are supposed to do. It seems like so little but as Jesus says, “If we aspire to greatness, we must serve the rest”. In other words, just do what we are supposed to do, and we will become not just saints but great saints.
By Rev. Charles Jan DiMascola
Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, Turners Falls, MA
