“I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.” – St. Dominic Savio
In the pursuit of holiness, we often look towards grand gestures and extraordinary feats as the primary means to achieve spiritual perfection. However, the essence of true holiness lies not in the rare and spectacular, but in the consistent and faithful execution of our ordinary, everyday actions.
Drawing from the wisdom of the Scriptures and the teachings of the saints, we will consider why focusing on ordinary actions is more practical and spiritually enriching than waiting for extraordinary opportunities that seldom arise. We will also address the challenges to performing these ordinary actions well and provide practical ways to improve. We will look at the dangers of seeking recognition for our good deeds and highlight the immense joy that comes from quietly offering our daily actions to God.
By understanding and embracing the potential for holiness found in the ordinary, we can transform our daily lives into a continuous act of worship and devotion, enriching each moment and increasing our intimacy with God.
Why We Should Focus on Ordinary Actions Rather Than Extraordinary Things
Scriptural Basis
The foundation of focusing on ordinary actions is deeply rooted in Scripture. In Deuteronomy, God commands, “Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land . . .” (Deut. 16:20), emphasizing the importance of performing actions well so that we may live well. Micah 6:8 echoes this command exhorting us “to do justice and to love kindness (or mercy, in other translations) and to walk humbly with [our] God.” The directive to “walk humbly” indicates that it is not in glorious deeds, but in our everyday tasks that we are to act justly and extend kindness and mercy to others. Our Lord Jesus exemplified this principle, as noted in the Gospel of Mark, where it is said, “He has done all things well” (Mark 7:37). St. Paul urges us to imitate Our Lord by sanctifying each word and action. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). These scriptures highlight that our spiritual growth and well-being are intrinsically linked to the quality and goodness of our daily actions.
Saintly Wisdom
Saints and religious have long recognized the significance of living well in ordinary circumstances. In his work, Practice of Christian and Religious Perfection, armed with the teachings of the Church Fathers, Alphonsus Rodriguez, S.J. tells us that growth in virtue and Christian perfection requires two things: the doing of our ordinary actions for God alone and always doing them to the very best of our ability so that they are pleasing to Him (Volume I, #155-157).
St.Therése of Lisieux, who could be called the saint of the ordinary, knew herself to be “too little to climb the steep stairway of perfection.” She trusted Jesus to carry her in His arms to heaven (The Story of a Soul, #117). In this spirit, she found the way of perfection by filling her ordinary acts with love and trust. In her autobiography, she wrote, “In my little way, everything I do must be within the reach of other little souls also” (#174).
Therése’s great virtue was manifest in such ordinary ways that as she was dying, one of her confreres was overheard saying, “She is very good, but she has certainly never done anything worth speaking about” (#171). Yet this saint has been declared a Doctor of the Church. A cloistered nun, completing her everyday actions with love and abandonment to God’s holy will, reached such a state of perfection that she is considered one of the great spiritual masters of the Church (John Paul II, Divini Amoris Scientia, 9).
Practicality
Focusing on the perfection of ordinary actions is practical and attainable for everyone. God in His wisdom provides the means through our state of life, for any soul that desires to grow in holiness. We know that extraordinary opportunities for the heroic are rare and often beyond our control. If we wait for these particular occasions to show our fidelity to God, we will have wasted our time and squandered the daily opportunities and graces He provides to move us forward on our spiritual path.
Again, Alphonsus Rodriguez assures us that “it is in performing well the most common and familiar actions of our life (emphasis added), that [spiritual] advancement and perfection consist” (Rodriguez, Vol 1 #148). This is encouraging because these daily actions are within our reach and we can immediately use them as opportunities for spiritual growth. When working – whether inside or outside the home – we can practice greater diligence in fulfilling each of our duties with attention and love. For instance, while doing the laundry, we can thank God for the privilege of serving our family and pray a Hail Mary for the one to whom each piece of clothing belongs. While stocking groceries, shipping out a product, or fixing a car we can pray an Our Father and ask God to bless those who will receive these goods and services taking care to do each task involved with the utmost care, as if we are doing them for Jesus. When tired and irritable, we can simply glance at the crucifix and pray a quick aspiration uniting our weariness with Christ in His passion. These are little acts that sanctify our days.
What about our direct interactions? In The Story of a Soul, St. Therése discusses that we should exhibit perfect love toward all those around us, the pleasant and the unpleasant. She reminds us that Jesus commands us to love our enemies. We may not always meet with enemies in our daily interactions, but we often encounter those who are disagreeable or fail to meet our expectations. It is in our loving them that Christ is most pleased. And how do we love them? By freely granting them a request, smiling kindly when they approach us, or even thanking God when they take something of ours without asking – saying a prayer for them and giving it up willingly, as though we give it to God, which indeed we do, says St. Therése! It consists in returning good for evil, in not retaliating, in blessing the one who insults us or is discourteous. In this way, we love as Jesus loves in the simple, repetitive interactions of our daily lives (#125-130).
This is difficult to our human nature to be sure, yet these are simple ways to grow in virtue. And this approach makes holiness accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances or abilities.
The Difficulty of Performing Ordinary Actions Well
Human Nature
Our human nature tends to overlook or undervalue ordinary actions. This stems from our inclination to seek out and prioritize activities that appear more rewarding or significant. We may avoid those things that should be done in favor of those we enjoy or get us noticed.
When we avoid unpleasant duties or try to finish them half-heartedly so we can quickly move on to something more interesting, this is the vice of sloth. We may stay busy, but we lack the fortitude to do unpleasant or boring tasks with diligence and excellence. We may let our minds wander to all sorts of other places, thoroughly distracted, possibly hashing through resentments, wasting mental energy on useless or sinful thoughts.
Another reason we may avoid or hurry through tasks is that no one will notice the energy we expend to do them well. Because there will be no recognition or reward by those around us, it may feel like a waste of time and energy to do them with excellence.
But these are great opportunities to conquer our human nature and develop a spirit of recollection by doing all our work attentively and carefully in the Name of the Lord Jesus, as St. Paul says (Col 3:17), advancing the Kingdom of God in the process.
We should be cautious in undervaluing the power of the little things Our Lord asks of us. As St. Therese has said, “Pick up a pin from a motive of love, and you may thereby convert a soul” (Letters of Saint Therése to Sister Frances Teresa #2).
Other Challenges
Monotony: Monotony itself can lead to a lack of motivation and engagement, making it challenging to perform ordinary actions with care and attention. If our work is repetitive, it can be difficult to maintain a high level of focus and dedication. But we may use this time for mental prayer or listening to a spiritual talk if permitted. Nevertheless, keeping our minds engaged and recollected during monotonous tasks is real work and offers a great opportunity to gain spiritual merit.
Distractions: Distractions and competing priorities can further hinder our ability to perform daily actions well. The constant bombardment of external stimuli and the pressure to multitask can compromise the quality of our efforts even when we are trying to do well. These external distractions may keep us from prayerfully attending to whatever we are doing.
Here we should pray for the grace to focus, turn off unnecessary noise, such as the radio or TV, or find a quieter space to work. We may need to discipline ourselves to choose one task at a time, seeing it through to completion. This will require and develop humility and help us to accomplish our work with peaceful success in a manner pleasing to God.
Overcommitment: Another challenge is filling our plate with too many commitments. When we set out to grow in Christian perfection, we must watch out for the multiplicity of so-called needs or activities that arise. We can become overwhelmed or discouraged when we try to make time for the simple duties of our state of life in an overcommitted schedule. Our culture moves fast and there is always something else that needs to be done. But is it our responsibility to do it? Must I say “yes” to whatever arises, even when I will enjoy it? It is an exercise in humility to do well only what God asks of us.
Vainglory: This is the excessive and disordered desire for human praise – a significant spiritual danger. Even the saints have struggled with this sin and describe its perils to those who strive for Christian perfection. The vice of vainglory is particularly insidious because it can turn good actions into occasions of sin by corrupting our intentions and making us seek human approval rather than God’s glory.
This can be difficult to discern and we can easily deceive ourselves into thinking there is good reason to be highly esteemed by others. Indeed, there may be, but it can be a slippery slope into pride and superiority. St. Basil said vainglory is like a “charming thief” who makes himself look like a friend but in the end, steals all the gold of our good works (Rodriguez #198).
Our Lord gives this warning in the Gospel: “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). So we must guard against the temptation of vainglory by performing our good works discretely and with simplicity, knowing if they are revealed to others it is Our Lord’s choosing and not ours.
As we consider these difficulties in performing our daily tasks well, remember: the enemy of our souls does not want us to reach spiritual maturity, because as we grow in holiness, all that we do brings glory to God. So the devil will use every trick necessary to derail us in our purpose.
Several Ways to Improve in Performing Our Ordinary Actions Well
Daily Offering
Starting the day by offering all our thoughts, words, and actions to God and maintaining this intention throughout the day is a powerful way to improve the quality of our ordinary actions. It puts us in the proper frame of mind as Catholics intent on pleasing God, and it calls upon God’s grace to make the ordinary extraordinary, infusing each task and interaction with salvific potential. Morning prayer sets a spiritual tone for the day, reminding us that everything we do is a prayer in itself if done for the glory of God. St. Hilary says, “They pray always who always perform their actions to please and glorify God, whereby they make their life a perpetual prayer . . .” (Rodriguez, #159).
Pure Intentions
One of the most crucial aspects of performing our ordinary actions well is ensuring our intentions are pure. This means our actions should be directed solely towards pleasing God, rather than seeking personal enjoyment or human recognition. One important aspect of pleasing God in our work is doing only what God intends for us to do – His will for us. St. Jerome sheds light on this thought by explaining a scripture verse in the book of Daniel: “Bless the Lord, sun and moon; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever” (Daniel 3:62, Douay-Rheims). St. Jerome asks how the sun and moon can bless and praise God. He answers his own question: “By never failing to do their duty, and by continually complying with those obligations God imposed upon them at the moment of their creation (emphasis added); for by . . . continual service, they render to God a continual praise.” As we perform well and with pure intention God’s will for us, we praise Him and pray without ceasing (Rodríguez #159).
Presence of God
Practicing the presence of God is a powerful means to perform our actions well. We know from scripture that God is always with us. In fact, we cannot breathe without His sustaining power. “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). But God is watching us as well, seeing all that we do, eager to grant us the grace to cooperate with Him. The Psalmist reminds us, “God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any that are wise, that seek after God” (Ps 53:2). If we live in this reality, continually turning our thoughts and hearts to God, He will strengthen us to overcome temptation and perform our work with greater attention and reverence. Many saints tell us that keeping ourselves recollected to God’s presence fortifies us against sin and produces a greater perfection in doing all for love of Him.
Focus and Attention
Another necessary aspect of growing in perfection through our ordinary tasks is focusing on one action at a time. Alphonsus Rodriguez encourages his religious community to consider each task, no matter how small, as though it were the only one they had to accomplish. This idea flies in the face of the modern emphasis on multi-tasking and reminds us that a single-minded approach to our duties in a spirit of recollection develops greater virtue.
This may involve personal mortification – a voluntary sacrifice – in doing even those tasks that bore or disgust us with the utmost care, as though it is all we would wish to do at the moment. Think of spending time with a person who continually repeats himself, telling long, drawn-out stories, or listening to customer complaints all day, or washing dirty dishes over and over. These are difficult tasks to enjoy. But if we intentionally attend to whatever God has placed in front of us through Providence, the ordinary and seemingly unimportant can render heroic love and goodness from us if done for Him without complaint.
Of course, it can be challenging to develop these good habits, and we must be consistent and intentional to do so. But if we determine to live a more recollected life, cooperating with God’s grace and correcting our faults, we shall soon find it “easy and sweet,” says Alphonsus Rodriguez (#175). This promise rests on the truth of Sacred Scripture:
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
The Great Joy of Quietly Offering Our Ordinary Actions to God
Inner Peace
One of the profound benefits of quietly offering our ordinary actions to God is the inner peace that comes from knowing our efforts are pleasing to Him, even if they go unnoticed by others. St. Alphonsus relates that it is not even in the success of our good works that we should be preoccupied. He says that if it seems the good end we had in mind does not come to pass, such as the happiness or even conversion of another soul through our efforts, we should not be disturbed as long as we have fulfilled the will of God in doing well what He has purposed for us. St. Ignatius taught that even as the angels employ all their efforts to cause humanity to convert and turn to God if men “make a bad use of their free will and resist [these] good intentions,” the angels do not lose peace, but maintain their happiness in God (Rodriguez #230)
St. Jane Frances de Chantal put it this way, “Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to Him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.”
This understanding brings a deep sense of contentment and tranquility, as we realize that our worth in God’s eyes is not measured by the grandeur of our actions or even their outcome, but by the love and intention with which we perform them. This interior peace is a reflection of the divine approval we seek, which far surpasses any human recognition.
Spiritual Richness and Intimacy with God
Offering our ordinary actions to God enriches our spiritual life by infusing meaning into everything we do. By dedicating our daily tasks to God, we transform them into acts of worship, thus elevating their value. This should fill us with deep gratitude and even excitement. For we understand that no matter how insignificant our tasks may seem if we do all in the name of Jesus and for His glory, we can reach great spiritual maturity and union with God in the simplest ways.
Again, this was the power behind the holiness of St. Therése. She made this almost like a game, a little secret she shared with Our Lord. She would do something repugnant to her nature with a pleasant smile on her face and no one around her would guess it cost her anything. This she offered to Jesus as a holocaust of love, burning up her inner preferences and sacrificing them to the One Who sacrificed all for her. These little secrets fused her heart to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a more intimate way than if she had shared them with others.
Treasure in Heaven
The whole of the Christian life is learning to deny ourselves and choose Christ. We do this all at once at our baptism, but also countless times a day confirming that we belong to Him by conforming to His will. The narrow road to holiness can be difficult and we can be tempted by our weakness to give up that hard path, even while telling ourselves we are advancing on it. But if we fix our eyes on the the glory that awaits us and even the reward we recieve right here on earth – true peace of soul and intimacy with God, we can find the strength by His grace to do well those things Providence brings us, whether grand or seemingly insignificant.
Let us turn to the merciful Heart of Jesus and tell Him that we want to grow up to salvation (1 Peter 2:2), learning to do everything, great and small, for Him. Let’s ask Him to show us His will, to give us the grace to accomplish it in Christian perfection, and to hide our good works in the Immaculate Heart of Mary where she can reveal them as she sees fit for the benefit of others, and also keep them for us as treasure in Heaven.
