Self-worth and self-actualization
A trader in Asia came across an elderly woman sitting on a tiny prayer rug before a very large hand-woven rug. The trader drew up his horse suddenly and shouted, “Old lady, is that rug behind you for sale?
Without looking up from her prayer rug, the woman simply said, “Yes, sir, it is.”
“How much do you want for that rug?”
“One hundred rupees, sir. One hundred rupees.”
Old lady, in all the bazaars and all the stalls, in Asia, I have never seen a rug that beautiful.”
“I know that sir,” she said. “That’s why I’m selling it for one hundred rupees and not a single rupee less.”
“In the name of Allah, old lady, if you realize how beautiful your rug is, why would you ever sell it for only one hundred rupees?”
For the first time in the conversation the woman looked up, an expression of shock on her face. She thought for a moment and then said, “Because, sir, until this very moment, I never knew that there were any numbers above 100.”
I fear most of us are guilty of such a naivete about how much God values us. Yet if we do the Math, we know that God gave his only son to save us. That makes us infinitely valuable. More than one hundred.
God will work through us if we are ready to become his tools and serve him. At the last supper God gave us this directive: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This can be applied simply in our daily lives.
In apparitions to Sister Josepha Jesus told her: “I want the world to be saved, that peace and unity may reign in it. I want to reign, and I will reign through the reparation of my chosen souls and through a new knowledge of my Goodness, my Mercy and my Love.
“My Words will be Light and Life for countless souls. All of them will be printed, read and preached, and I will give them a special grace, so that they will enlighten and transform souls." (from A Message of Mercy).
God promises the reign of Light and Life. That is great news in a world where we see daily evidence of the evil that attacks goodness and innocence and causes sin, death and suffering.
We can go forth trusting that God will give us the special grace to enlighten and transform souls. “The word that goes forth out of my mouth: does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do” (Isaiah 55:11).
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” (St Teresa of India).
We can all pray. “Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed.” (St Theresa of Avila). “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve.” (St Teresa of India).
“Christ has no body now but mine. He prays in me, works in me, looks through my eyes, speaks through my words, works through my hands, walks with my feet and loves with my heart.” (Teresa of Avila).
“But I am just me, weak and ineffective,” we protest. Moses protests his call, “The people will not listen to me. I am not a great and powerful force.” God replies, “But I am.”
However we find ourselves and our abilities, we can serve God and become all that we were meant to be.
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