SMALL

Small like a seed.

Small like a baby.

Small like a smile.

Small like a wave with one’s hand from a car or at a basketball game – to someone 30 yards away – or 30 seats away.

Small like an act of kindness.

Small like an “Amen” at Mass – that connects us with all those other small “Amen’s” at Mass – and then they become a loud “Amen” that is sent into God’s ear – and each other’s ears.

Small like a step – one step at a time – one day at a time – in A.A., Alcoholics Anonymous – and slowly a person sobers up – wakes up – slowly – one step at a time – okay sometimes there is a slip – but they start again – and it was only a small slip in the long run.

Small like the holding of a baby and rocking her or him till they fall asleep.

Small like dropping into a nursing home – to see a next door neighbor who is slipping slowly in dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Small like reading a page of a book – one page at a time – and in time the book is read.

Small like a hearing aid battery in the hand of a widower with early Parkinson’s at a senior citizens’ center – who is missing a lot of what’s going on and a lady with a clipboard - who is just happening to go by stops and says, “Oh, let me put that battery in for you. My mom always says they make them too small.”

Small like a “yes” today – and a “yes” tomorrow – and another “yes” the next day – each “yes” with love – each “yes” being something to make the whole enterprise called a “family” or “household” work – as in filling and emptying the dish washer – and doing the big weekly food shopping trip – with the added getting needed milk on the way home from work on a Wednesday evening – because of a cell phone call – and then there is soccer moming – and football dading – as well as the going to work Monday to Friday – the commuting – the daily work for daily bread – and soon a couple celebrate their 25th and then their 50th wedding anniversary.

Small like a returned phone call – or an e-mail – seconds small.

Small like a snow flake – and in 24 hours we have a couple of feet of snow.

Small like shoveling snow – and in an hour a path is cleared – and then a few hours later – the same shoveling – but good thing you did the first hour – because it makes the second hour of shoveling snow easier - sometimes.

Small like chopping celery – or putting together a salad – or making 5 bean soup.

Small like turning lights out – so as to do our part is not wasting electricity.

Small like picking up a candy wrapper on the floor near a waste paper basket.

Small like a male putting the seat up before and the down afterwards.

Small like going the extra mile – giving the shirt off our back – putting a dollar in the poor box – dropping 50 cents into a guitar case of a metro musician – like buying girl scout cookies.

Small like learning how to play the piano – or violin – tuba or trombone – one lesson at a time – one piece at a time.

Small like sitting with a little kid and having him or her read a kids’ book to us or us to them – concentrating on them – being present to them – and not to the TV in the background – and they feel like they are secure – having someone giving them undivided attention.

Small like having a cup of coffee with a co-worker or a friend – but we really want to get moving – but they look like they need a break and a break with a live, human being – and they have nothing really important to say – so they say trivia to us – and they feel good – that someone listened to them.

Small like putting together a jigsaw puzzle as a family – one piece at a time.

Small like playing “Go Fish” with a 4 year old or chess with a teenager.

Small like a young girl named Mary – a no-name from basically a no-name town – who said “Yes” to God and gave us the first Christmas.

Small like a small town like Nazareth and Bethlehem – where Jesus a small town carpenter begins – and slowly changes the world.

Small like a light in the window – a sign of welcome – “I’m home! Do drop in.”

Small like decorating a Christmas tree – one ornament at a time – one string of tinsel at a time – one Christmas tree light wrapping at a time.

Small like a small compliment, “Did you lose weight?” even though we now it’s a lie – but we know it will makes someone’s day.

Small like a small note – on a Christmas card – instead of just a signature.

Small like a “Please” or a “Thank you”.

Small like remembering someone’s birthday – with a card or a call.

Small like letting someone out into traffic – ahead of us – otherwise they might be there two minutes – because we notice in our rear view mirror there is a whole stream of traffic coming behind us.

Small like knowing what the other’s favorite ice cream flavor is – or one’s favorite movie – or color – or TV program.

Small like fitting through the eye of the needle and discovering the kingdom of God is all around us on the other side of an attitude change.

Small like a 3 page homily on the idea of “small”.





Homiletic Reflection for the 4th Sunday of Advent - Year C. The small word "small" in today's first reading as well as the Gospel triggered this reflection. Cf. Micah 5: 1-4a; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45