“But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy” (1 Corinthians 12:18-26).

As mothers in the trenches we may sometimes feel like a weaker part of the body.  Maybe we hang up cute work clothes only to don stretchy pants and an old t-shirt to start cleaning up the kitchen. We may have traded high level morning meetings for midnight nursing sessions. We may be heading out to work every day leaving part of our heart behind. Or we may have put an exciting or fulfilling career on hold in order to embrace life as a stay-at-home mom. At times we wonder how on earth our work, our different roles, could grow into the life of a saint. And how can our unseen or mundane life be part of building up the kingdom of God? But there is no division in the body, and Christ has called us to be this part of the body of Christ during this season. St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.” Each part of the body is called to be a saint, and love is the way. Whether at work or at home, we can bring the Lord’s love into a situation. We can decide to accept our role with love, thanking God that he has seen fit to make us an eye or a hand or a nose. We can ask the Lord to encourage us in the work at hand and be heartened in the knowledge that we share fully in the sufferings, joys, and triumphs of the whole body.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the body of Christ. Thank you that we all work together to build the kingdom of God. Help me to take joy in who you have called me to be in this season of life, and may I do all things, especially the little things, with great love.