09/11/2026
Brothers and sisters,
When we look back at the early Church, it is remarkable to consider how little the first Christians appeared to have by the world’s standards. They did not possess political power, wealth, influence, or social status. They had no impressive institutions or armies. They were often misunderstood, persecuted, and rejected. Yet within a relatively short period of time, their witness transformed the world.
How?
They loved Jesus deeply, and they loved others faithfully.
The Acts of the Apostles tells us that the first Christians devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared what they had, cared for the poor, welcomed one another, forgave one another, and gathered around the Eucharist. Their faith was not simply something they believed on Sunday. It became the way they lived every day.
And at the center of it all was the Holy Spirit.
Before His Ascension, Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. At Pentecost, that promise became reality. Ordinary men and women were transformed into courageous witnesses of the Gospel.
Peter had once been afraid to admit that he knew Jesus. After Pentecost, he proclaimed Christ publicly despite the possibility of imprisonment and death. The disciples who had scattered during the Passion became people willing to suffer rather than abandon the Lord.
This should encourage every one of us.
Because most of us will never preach to thousands of people. We may never write a book, lead a great organization, or accomplish something that makes history. But that does not mean our lives are insignificant in God’s plan.
The Kingdom of God has always advanced through ordinary people who say yes to extraordinary grace.
A mother patiently raising her children in faith can change generations. A father who chooses integrity when nobody is watching can teach his family what holiness looks like. A person who forgives instead of seeking revenge can interrupt a cycle of bitterness. A parishioner who notices someone sitting alone and reaches out can become an instrument of God’s love.
A quiet act of charity may never make the news, but heaven sees it.
Jesus constantly revealed this principle. He spoke about mustard seeds, yeast, hidden treasure, and a little leaven working through an entire batch of dough. God delights in taking what appears small and accomplishing something far greater than we could imagine.
The problem is that we often underestimate what God can do because we underestimate what He can do through us.
We think we need to be more talented, more educated, more confident, more successful, or more influential before God can use us. But the Gospel does not begin with our greatness. It begins with our surrender.
The question is not, “How impressive am I?”
The question is, “How available am I to God?”
The saints understood this. They were not all powerful people. They were men and women who allowed grace to transform ordinary lives into extraordinary witnesses. Their greatness was not that they never struggled. Their greatness was that they repeatedly surrendered their struggles, weaknesses, gifts, and desires to Christ.
That same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost has not disappeared.
He is still present in the Church.
He is still active in the Sacraments.
He is still moving in hearts.
He is still calling ordinary people to holiness.
And He is still capable of taking one surrendered life and using it to touch countless others.
Perhaps you feel insignificant. Perhaps you believe your life is too ordinary to make a difference. Perhaps you look at the problems of the world and wonder what one person could possibly do.
Remember the early Church.
It began with people who simply said yes.
They prayed.
They served.
They forgave.
They shared.
They proclaimed Christ.
They loved one another.
And they trusted God with the results.
The world does not necessarily need more Christians who merely identify themselves as Christians. It needs disciples whose lives make the love of Christ visible.
That begins wherever we are.
In our homes.
At our workplaces.
In our friendships.
In our parishes.
Among people who agree with us and people who do not.
In moments when nobody applauds.
Holiness often looks remarkably ordinary.
A kind word. A patient response. A hidden sacrifice. A sincere apology. A generous gift. A prayer for someone who hurt us. A decision to remain faithful when quitting would be easier.
These are the places where the Gospel becomes visible.
Never underestimate what God can do through a life fully surrendered to Him.
You may feel like one person, but you are never merely one person when Christ is living and working through you.
So today, do not ask God only to change the world.
Ask Him to change you.
“Holy Spirit, take my life as it is. Take my gifts, my weaknesses, my wounds, my fears, and my ordinary circumstances. Use whatever I place in Your hands for Your glory.”
The early Church changed the world because ordinary people allowed God to work through them.
And that same Holy Spirit is still at work.
The question is not whether God can use us.
The question is whether we are willing to let Him.
Come, Holy Spirit. Make us faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, courageous witnesses of the Gospel, and instruments of Your love in a world that desperately needs it. Amen.
