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Laundry and dishes. The two never ending chores that if you are not careful to maintain, will drown you in an abyss of pouting and wishing you were five years old again. The day before I left the convent, I was doing a last load of laundry (which encompassed the all of two shirts and black skirts I had to my name). Mother Superior approached me while I was throwing the clothes into the dryer and said to me with a twinkle in her eye:
“You know, there’s laundry in every vocation. You won’t be able to escape it.”
A profound statement that I will never forget. Profound because it’s true. Unforgettable because I continue to learn that every day.
Years prior to hearing these words of wisdom I was staying with the Missionaries of Charity for a time (who in their vow of poverty forego modern conveniences such as microwaves, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.). Within 10 minutes of arriving I was put to work washing window drapes. By hand. A chore they complete every week.
Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the dishes and the laundry. To accept the mundane reality of having to wash the same clothes and the same dishes over and over again can be a daunting thought. But those mundane tasks, when seen with the eyes of faith, represent the beauty and hope of the spiritual life. Even when our prayer is dry, when we are frustrated, doubtful, or despairing, we are still called to trudge on. We are spurred on to pray for the grace of perseverance, even when the dishes are piled so high we would rather ignore the problem than face it. The Lord calls out to us,
“Have Faith! Trust in Me!” And that trust ultimately requires a daily Fiat to the Lord. Your will, not mine. When I realize that those seemingly insignificant chores bring great glory to God, suddenly there is so much joy in completing them.
We are at His disposal. If He wants you to be sick in bed, if He wants you to proclaim His word in the street, if He wants you to clean the toilets all day, that’s all right. Everything is all right. We must say, ‘I belong to you. You do whatever you like.’ -Mother Teresa