Years ago, an impressive thunderstorm hit while we were at Mass. The storm was as abrupt as it was powerful because as we exited the church, the torrent of rain had stopped and there was only a faint rumble of thunder in the distance.
A few puddles had formed along the sidewalk and my children began splashing in them. I was thinking of how I needed to do greater things for Jesus, bigger, more measurable things than I was currently doing.
Then suddenly, I was snapped out of my distraction by the small voice of my daughter who was now muddy and drenched. “Mommy! Jesus gave us puddles!”
In that moment I realized that for children, the sacred is not separated from the ordinary. It is all intertwined, each moment and each thing, a beautiful gift from God. They saw His majesty in a simple puddle, and they delighted in Him.
Sister, do we recognize Jesus in the simplest moment? Do we see His face in the elderly neighbor going for walk, the friend who is having a hard day, the overwhelmed mom at the store who doesn’t have enough money for her groceries?
Do we truly see His face in the lonely widow, the homeless man standing beneath the sun with tired eyes, the differently-abled child trying to keep up with his or her peers?
In today’s Gospel Jesus tells His disciples, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest" (Luke 9:48). That realization caused me to stop and delight in my children as they jumped in puddles and praised Jesus.
As we walked back to our van, out of breath from laughter, I felt the Lord say, Thank you for rejoicing with Me.
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Dear God, let us clear our clouded vision and receive You by loving the least among us, right where we are, in our ordinary spaces.
Leana Bowler is a wife and mother of five little ones. She is a Holy Rosary enthusiast with deep devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her love for the message of Divine Mercy led her to become a Marian Missionary of Divine Mercy dedicated to spreading Marian Consecration and the beauty of Christ's abundant Mercy. She enjoys finding the miracles in the mess of family life, books, strong coffee, and encountering others wherever they're at in this blessed journey to sainthood. You can find out more about her here.
