Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Blessed Marie Leonie Paradis: Great Love in Small Actions


 Today we read about Blessed Marie Leonie Paradis in the book In Caelo et in Terra. She was from Quebec, and joined a religious order from a young age. But she felt God calling her to a different work. So she started a new ministry of taking care of priests, their physical, monetary, and moral needs. She washed clothes, cooked food, cleaned, and so forth to free priests to do their work more effectively. Soon, many women joined her in this work.

You can read more about her here.

When you think about serving God, you probably don't envision washing clothes, cooking dinner, and cleaning the house. Maybe you do! If so, bravo. It takes good discernment to see these actions as "serving God". But many parents realize that these simple, mundane actions are in fact serving God in a profound way when they build a family. And they do the same when they support priests. Bl Marie realized that what she was doing wasn't glamorous or fun, but it was necessary and important. And she did it with great love, even though it was a small thing.

What small thing might God be calling you to do with great love today?

God, thanks for giving us this very practical example of doing Your will. Blessed Marie Leonie Paradis, pray for us.

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