33rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME A

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GOD AND THE SMALL THINGS



Towards the end of the church calendar, the gospel challenges us to reflect once again on the judgment of God. In faith, we believe there will be divine judgment - a personal one for each of us after our death and a universal one when the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ will be finally revealed at the end of time.



But when we think of this moment, what do we expect to be the object of God’s judgment? Many people think it will be sin and transgression against the laws of the Lord. Others think that it will be the bigger sins, measured according to the norms of the Ten Commandments. This has resulted in our fear of God’s judgment, and in the popular imagination’s idea of a vengeful, wrathful God.



In the gospel, we hear the Lord twice saying: “You have been faithful in small matters… Come, share your master’s joy!”



Reflecting on divine judgment in Matthew 25, we come face to face with the true meaning of the coming reckoning with God. Here, God is not running after violations and transgressions and sins. He is not counting how many of the commandments were broken. He is not pointing out mistakes of the past. Rather, he is looking at the “small things” done with love and faithfulness.



Have you ever thought about it this way? God will judge us by the way we performed our daily, little, seemingly insignificant tasks. Did you prepare your family’s meal happily? Did you go to work with a sense of dedication? Did you study your lessons conscientiously? Did you help your neighbor out of deep concern? It is the way we did what was expected of us, in the little things before us, that the Lord will determine our fruitfulness as disciples. God indeed is the God of the small things!



Today, and in the coming days, we will again take up our daily tasks and duties. Sometimes we will be tempted to do them mechanically, without thinking. At times we will try to survive the day in boredom or ennui. Or we will just try to finish them just to get them behind us and get that paycheck.



But as Christians, the Lord Jesus reminds us that he is waiting for us, looking for us, joining us, in the little, daily duties of our lives. Aware of this, let us do things for our families, our employers, and our communities with joy, with excitement, with dedication, with excellence… and yes, with a smile.



Come, share your master’s joy!

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