The Duty of the Moment

I’m a dreamer. I have more plans and ideas than I can possibly execute. Ideas for apostolates, books, essays, blog posts, hobbies I want to pursue, and so much more. And I dream big. I read the writings of the saints who did heroic things, who wanted to conquer the world for Jesus Christ, and who set the world on fire with the love of God—and I want to do this as well.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with dreaming big. The apostles did. The martyrs did. The saints did. But there is a hidden danger in dreaming so big that we miss the often silent, subtle, and just as heroic duty of the present moment.
When one’s head is filled with grand plans, no matter how worthy, it is easy to think that the little things do not matter. But the constant witness of countless saints—such as St. Francis de Sales, St. Raphael Arnaiz Baron, St. Josemaria Escriva, and many more—is that heroism is very often found in the ordinary and mundane tasks that we would rather ignore.
The Will of God
Have you ever seen those “I’d rather be…” bumper stickers? I’d rather be fishing. I’d rather be flying. I’d rather be skiing. These stickers may be harmless, but the reveal a deep discontent with ordinary life. Souls are filled with what Thoreau described as a “quiet desperation.”  I have also seen a bumper sticker that is actually quite good: “I’d rather be right here.”
Heroic sanctity is all about fulfilling the will of God, especially when it is difficult and contrary to our nature. And honestly, ordinary life can be hard. It can be boring, tedious, and frustrating—most especially when we’d rather be doing something big or extraordinary or fun.
But it is exactly this banality that God often asks of us, and