Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. // Ephesians 4:7
I peered out over the deluge of dishes that were dripping with droppings from dinner. The sun was setting into our tiny kitchen as our guests began to migrate toward the door. With full bellies and contented hearts, we said our goodbyes after our long conversation spent huddled around the table.
That night I began the task of tidying up as I always do. And as I washed the soapy suds off of each plate, I felt God calling me to do this again, to break open our little home as a small offering to others.
In today’s First Reading, we are reminded of the unique call that God has placed on each of us to use our gifts for the purpose of “building up the Body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).
Much of the time, we think of those gifts in big, grandiose ways—in the preaching or the teaching or the doing. But sometimes the sweetest gift we have to give others is in the being, in offering our attention in a world that has become so distracted. Sometimes it looks like turning off your phone to be more present or opening your door for friends to find refuge and conversation.
I wonder, dear sister, in what ways is God calling you to build up the Body of Christ? You may not be up on a stage preaching to thousands, but your gifts can still be used in small, quiet ways. Let us each find those tiny moments to live out His truth in love.
Brittany Calavitta is an enthusiastic advocate for a good book, strong coffee, and a hopeful heart. After battling years of infertility, she and her husband welcomed their first child on September 11, 2016. While balancing time between life with a preschooler and a husband who travels for ministry, Brittany dances professionally all over Southern California where her family currently resides. She was a contributing author to Here Too: Where We Find God and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women. Find out more about her here.
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