Small Actions with a Big Effect

St. Mother Teresa had a new volunteer, recently arrived in Calcutta, who asked what he could do to help. Mother Teresa pointed to a man who had just been brought in, filthy and crawling with maggots. ‘You can wash him’ she said. The volunteer exclaimed that he did not know how to do so. Mother said: “Can you wash yourself?” “Of course” said the new volunteer. The simple reply was: “Well then, if you know how to wash yourself, then you know how to wash HIM…”

In life, it is usually not the big actions that bring us to God, but rather the small daily tasks and needs of others that draw us to acts of patience, love and humility. Acts of care and duty carried out in our daily lives are practical prayer and love. We do not have to be a Martyr to be a Saint!