Small Enough to Fit Inside His Heart

Allison Auth considers what it takes to become small through humility and childlike simplicity to grow closer to the Heart of Jesus.

While in Adoration one evening, I felt a surge of longing for God and prayed in my heart the words from Isaiah: “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!” (Isaiah 64:1a, NIV)

And I heard in my heart His reply: “I did come down by making myself small.” It’s true; the God of power and fire and earthquakes desires so deeply to be one with us that He made Himself small enough to fit inside of us through a tiny Host. Christ’s invitation to me that night was to make myself small so I could fit inside His heart. 

Humility and childlike simplicity 

I wrote briefly about my devotion to the Sacred Heart in my book, Baby and Beyond, saying: “When I feel lonely or sad, I imagine myself crawling into the slit in the side of His Heart and resting inside.” These days I don’t have to feel sad, just a longing to be united with him. I understood that the way to make myself small enough to fit in His heart was through humility and childlike simplicity. 

Christ himself gave us the first path to humility and simplicity in the Incarnation. God condescended to us, coming as an innocent and tiny baby. A picture of complete dependence, He lowered Himself even further to a brutal death. As Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians: 

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, become obedience to death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:7, NABRE) 

Mary also emptied herself, for it was in the virginal emptiness of her womb that God found a home. Although the most exalted of all creatures, she lowered herself to do the will of God in humble and simple and sometimes difficult ways (think flight to Egypt or Joseph considering divorcing her quietly).  

Mary shares this path to humility in her Magnificat where she proclaims the greatness of the Lord, indicating she is a lowly servant and that God lifts up the lowly. Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C., in reflecting on the Magnificat, writes,

Our Lady reviews what he had already done in the Old Testament and foretells what he will do: suscipe — lift up — literally, take into his arms, as one picks up a little child and holds it to himself. (from Cause of Our Joy: Walking Day by Day with our Lady) 

The little way of Saint Thérèse 

Saint Thérèse picked up on this littleness in her spirituality as well, saying it was the elevator to Heaven. She found inspiration in the Book of Proverbs, which says, “Whosoever is a little one, let them come to me” (Proverbs 9:4, Douay-Rhiems). In her littleness, Christ would pick her up in His arms, and He would lift her up to Heaven. All she had to do was remain small and childlike, giving God her little sacrifices and small acts of love.  

In humility, Saint Thérèse knew there was nothing she could do to earn Heaven or make a name for herself. In humility, Saint Thérèse depended on God’s merciful love and used the little annoyances and struggles of the convent to bring her heart closer to Christ’s. In Story of a Soul she said: 

The Divine Heart’s Goodness and Merciful Love are little known! It is true that to enjoy these treasures we must humble ourselves, must confess our nothingness — and here is where many a soul draws back. 

And 

Jesus points out to me the only way which leads to Love’s furnace — that way is self-surrender — it is the confidence of the little child who sleeps without fear in its father’s arms. 

How do we live this out as mothers in the 21st century? By leaning into the little ways of caring for our family (not grumbling about the laundry!) and loving our neighbor (checking in on elderly neighbors, inviting a family from the parish over to brunch) and pouring our hearts out to God in prayer. God desires to connect with us in every little offering of love. We make it too complicated sometimes. Let the little ones come to Him, and let us be one of the little ones that fit inside His heart. 

The closer we come to God, the more simple we become. (Story of a Soul)  

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Copyright 2024 Allison Auth
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