My Motive is Love
Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Motive is what makes the saint…We can take whatever He gives us, and we can make the supernatural best of it.”
Countless times a day I do a task I would rather not do. Don’t we all? We can love our life and be grateful for our many blessings AND STILL do things we would rather not do. That is part of being human.
And that is part of being a mom. Sometimes I have a chance to “offer up” the task and make an act of the will to do it for God. But most times in the huff and puff of daily life at home I don’t. So I just say to myself, “My motive is love.” This helps me remember no task goes unnoticed by God. Even if it is cleaning up water spilled on the ground for the hundredth time that day.
I like to read today’s Gospel in light of this. If you have a few minutes, sit with this passage and as you read it a few times, ask the Lord to speak to your heart and see what comes up for you.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:31-40)
As moms all of these tasks are provided for us countless times a day.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food.” If your kids like snacks as much as mine this happens constantly.
"I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” I am always filling their water bottles (hence the spilled water on the floor.)
“A stranger and you welcomed me.” How many times do we as moms make peace within our home and help our kids play together or find something to do?
“Naked and you clothed me.” Even if our kids are old enough to get dressed…think about the never ending pile of laundry that we do! I think that counts!
"Ill and you cared for me.” We all know what it’s like to take care of sick kids…again and again.
“In prison and you visited me.” Time outs come to mind! Or what about the time our child was sad and we took the time to stop what we were doing and seek to understand where they were coming from?
My dear friends, I want to encourage you. Your efforts are not unseen. Even if someone isn’t thanking you every time you do something, God is. And think about the amazing opportunity we have to do everything we do in love.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “Each task or duty is like a blank check; the value it possesses depends on whose name is signed to it, on whether it is done for the I’s sake or for God’s sake….every such task, every such duty, can be ennobled and spiritualized if it is done in God’s name.”
So the next time you get to do something you don’t want to do, do it in love, and God will take care of the rest.
