What’s the One Thing?

As the long, hot summer days speed by, we are once again quickly approaching the start of another school year.  Ah, new beginnings, new hopes, new challenges, a time to start anew.  Yes, God has provided us with many occasions for a fresh start…. a new calendar year, a new liturgical year, a new school year, indeed, each new day when God’s mercies are made new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

Our Christian faith encourages us to not let these opportunities go to waste.  We must be intentional about making the most of them.  Some of us may just overlook these opportunities for a fresh start, while others may set lofty goals. However, experts tell us that the greatest chance for success in starting over and creating lasting change is to focus and decide what is the one thing we can do to affect meaningful and positive change in our lives.

Where to start?  Jesus teaches us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second greatest is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).  What is the one thing that we can do today to better love God?  We could spend some time with Him in prayer, even if just for a few minutes; it’s a place to start.  Perhaps stop by Church for a daily Mass or just to sit with Him.  Or we can stop in an Adoration Chapel.  Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, the consecrated bread, and He waits patiently for us to visit with Him, ready to bestow those mercies that are made new each morning.  We could spend a few minutes reading His love letter to us, the Bible, where He tells us about His plans for us.  We could seek Him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation where He forgives our sins and restores our relationship with Him.  After all, Jesus tells us that the way to love God is to keep His commandments, and they are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).  Well, that may require some divine assistance, so we can just ask for help and be assured that when we ask according to His will, He hears and answers us (1 John 5:14-15).  So now we are back to prayer again.  Have you ever tried to pray the Rosary?  What about one decade?  What’s the one thing you could do today to grow closer to Jesus, to love Him more?

What about loving our neighbor, who might just be a family member rather than the person next door?  Or it could be someone we know or are related to who lives miles away.  What’s the one thing we can do to love that person more?  Maybe it’s as simple as a smile or forgiving the person who offended or annoyed us.  Perhaps it’s offering up a prayer or making a phone call to say, “I’m thinking of you.”   Maybe it’s something slightly more involved like making a meal or a visit or running an errand for them.

We all lead very busy lives, so we need to be intentional about making changes in those lives.  How can we grow in love of God and neighbor?   Take advantage of the opportunities to start fresh.  Tomorrow is a new day, and God’s mercies will be there for you.  Take some time, be intentional, and decide what is the one thing you can do, no matter how small, to better love God and neighbor. 

Here’s what Scripture has to say…

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

Matthew 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Here’s what the Saints have to say…

St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.

St. Therese of Lisieux Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.