Imagine a set of weighing scales. Two opposing circular plates suspended by thin chains. On one side is the weight of the world: sin, suffering and death. All that is wrong. All that is broken. All the disappointments and all the sorrows.
On the other side of the scale we can place our weight in gold, the total weight of all our possessions, all our heavy thoughts and, for that matter, the entire planet earth and it won’t even budge the weight on the other side.
The rabbis of our elders in the faith have “kavod,” a word in Hebrew for “weight” that means God’s “glory.” The very weight of God. The little joys of faith, hope and love are given the greater weight of God and the scales balance.
We are reminded that David selected five smooth stones for his encounter with Goliath (1 Sm 17:40). It only took one to defeat him. Likewise, one little joy of faith, hope and love is given the weight of God and overcomes the giant weight on the other side of the scales.
The little joys of faith are the smallest moments of prayer when we are grateful for God’s blessings. The little joys of hope are the shortest moments where we honestly believe that we will be all right, that all will be well, that God will give us whatever grace we need to get through whatever heavy things we are going through. The little joys of love that lift heavy hearts and remind us that love is truly God’s greatest weight as revealed in Jesus Christ. Love greater than sin. Love greater than death.
St. Teresa of Kolkata had many quotable insights for the spiritual life. One of the saint’s more popular sayings was: “We cannot all do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Little joys.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on more than one occasion pointed to the place in the Mass where the priest invites the people to “lift up your hearts.” And the people respond, “We lift them up to the Lord.”
But Benedict XVI cautioned us that on our own we cannot lift the hearts burdened by the force of gravity. Rather, our hearts are drawn upwards by God and lightened by the very heart of Christ.
So too, we cannot lift the scale that is the gravity of our mortality. There is much in our world that troubles the conscience and disturbs the heart. The effects of original sin play out in our lives in heavy ways that can be a seemingly immoveable burden.
As we continue our observance of the Lenten season, it may not seem all that much to pray, fast and give alms. But when done from the heart with the little joys of faith, hope and love, we experience the weight of grace. Placed on our side of the scales are the hands of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Standing on our side of the scales are the communion of saints, the faithful departed and all the angels.
When we pursue the little joys of faith, hope and love, we feel the weight of this world lifted, and in the balance, we give glory to God.
