I agree strongly with your point about "faithful presence", while at the same time mostly failing to content myself with it. The humility and diligence that being "ordinary" requires of us is way beyond what's required to have higher (and more abstract) aspirations.

I also agree with the idea that "we need to content ourselves with it being just plain _good and faithful human work_ that helps our families and benefits our neighbors", but I also see that often becoming a reason for complacency in practice. For example, Christians often just invest in index funds without thinking about what kind of activities they are becoming complicit in.

The balance between grand vision and being "faithful in little" is so difficult I feel like I can't fit both in my head (let alone heart) at once.