Little Moments of Surrender
"Jesus said, 'Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age.'" (Mark 10:29-30)
"Jesus said, 'Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age.'" (Mark 10:29-30)
Bl. Franz Jägerstätter was an Austrian farmer who lived during WWII. He did not always live a devout Catholic life, but grew in piety as the Nazi regime rose to power. Jägerstätter recognized the necessity of forming a conscience in accordance with God's law and consequently realized the need to oppose the tyrannical authority of Hitler. His refusal to bend his knee to Hitler and reserve all obedience to God caused him to be sentenced to death in 1943. He was survived by his wife, Franziska, and three daughters, Rosalie, Marie, and Aloisia.
In the Gospel today, we hear Christ proclaim the radical surrender that he desires from his disciples. It is not easy to hear that we ought to give up everything for the sake of the Gospel - even that which we hold dear. If we remember the example of Bl. Franz Jägerstätter, we notice that the majority of his life was comprised of simple and ordinary days that glorified God. The storehouse of little moments of fidelity to God that Jägerstätter collected made the choice to serve Him when his life was on the line very clear.
Bl. Franz Jägerstätter took seriously the invitation that Jesus places in front of us: whatever you rend to me in this life will be repaid a hundred times more in eternal life. But we must remember that Lord desires even our littlest our sacrifices so that the moments that require great heroic courage are faced with clarity in God.
What little ways am I able to surrender myself to God?
Lord, help me in the moments, both small and large, where courage is required. Amen.
Nicole Patterson is an Echo Apprentice at Our Lady of Lourdes in Dunedin, FL. Echo is a two-year service graduate program that allows apprentices to work on their Master of Theology at the University of Notre Dame while serving the Church at various Dioceses around the country. Previously, Nicole graduated from Benedictine College in Atchison, KS with a degree in Theology and a member of Benedictine College Women’s Soccer. In her free time, Nicole enjoys hiking, reading, and playing pickleball.
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