Today we reflect on nine quotes by St. Josemaría. He reminds us to have pride in our daily work and enter each day with the certainty that acting with love makes every task important and pleasing to God, however humble it may seem to the eyes of the world.
Pope St. John Paul II called St. Josemaría, “the saint of ordinary life.” His feast day is an opportunity to seek his intercession before God for all the needs and intentions that concern us in our daily lives: challenges of the family, marriage, work, unemployment, sickness, society, and culture. We can also turn to him for help in seeking and being faithful to God’s will, whatever our state in life: single, married, or celibate.
How do we sanctify our daily life like Josemaría did? Acting with love and avoiding judgments are some of the ways St. Josemaría teaches us to act like Christ and bring others closer to God. Living an ordinary life with love leads us to greatness and has a positive impact on those around us.
9 Quotes from St. Josemaría on Ordinary Life
- “To reform. Every day a little. This has to be your constant task if you really want to become a saint.” (The Way)
- “Brief indeed is our time for loving, for giving, for making atonement. It would be very wrong, therefore, for us to waste it, or to cast this treasure irresponsibly overboard. We mustn't squander this period of the world's history which God has entrusted to each one of us.” (Friends of God)
- “Don't judge without having heard both sides. Even persons who think themselves virtuous very easily forget this elementary rule of prudence.” (The Way of The Cross)
- “How I wish your bearing and conversation were such that, on seeing or hearing you, people would say: 'This man reads the life of Jesus Christ.” (The Way)
- “Human life - your life - and its humdrum, ordinary business, have a meaning which is divine, which belongs to eternity.” (The Forge)
- “Add a supernatural motive to your ordinary professional work, and you will have sanctified it.” (The Way)
- “Sanctifying one’s work is no fantastic dream, but the mission of every Christian - yours and mine” (Furrow)
- “God always wins. If you are his instrument, you too will win, because you will fight God’s battles.” (The Forge)
- “Do everything for Love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. Perseverance in little things for Love is heroism.” (The Way)
You can find more wisdom from St. Josemaría at scepterpublishers.org.
