Author: momthingsthroughchrist

I know this is a Mom blog, but I recently celebrated my anniversary and want to take the opportunity to reflect on a text I (unknowingly) wrote for my wedding. It might be a bit clunky because it’s translated from French, but I want to share it regardless.

As the story goes (it’s a true story, I was there), we had asked the priest if we could incorporate the beautiful Croatian tradition of the marriage cross into our wedding ceremony. If you’re unfamiliar with the tradition, I recommend watching this video to learn more – it is a deeply meaningful, and rich tradition.

Anyway, the priest was familiar with it, and he asked us to write about what the cross symbolised for each of us. I would like to share my text with you today for a few reasons:

1. Loving your spouse is a gift for your children. If their mother and father love each other well, it is an example to them of what married love should be.
2. Much of what I said also applies to how to love our children, and indeed, all people.
3. I feel like commemorating my anniversary on the blog, so there (happy anniversary again, my love! Let’s have many more – don’t die yet!).

Sp, without further ado, here is the text I wrote that the priest sprung on me to read on our wedding day (seriously… we did the rehearsal like a week before and we saw him for reconciliation the day before and he mentioned nothing. Zero. It was a deer in headlights moment and I almost regretted writing an essay, haha.).

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For me, the symbolism of the cross is rich.

The cross was once an instrument of hatred and death, but God transformed it into an instrument of love and life everlasting. I have faith that this same source of grace will transform us in marriage, so that our lives may be a testament of love, just like Christ, who gave His life for us.

Indeed, this is how the cross teaches us to love our spouse. By giving His life, Christ followed the will of God in order to ensure the best possible outcome for the Church: to bring her without spot or blemish to the Father. Likewise, we must learn to hear and obey (there’s really no good translation for shema) the voice of God, and ask the Holy Spirit to give us His courage to do God’s will, so that we can help one another get to heaven.

A saying that’s always resonated with me is: “the symbol of Christianity is not a cushion, but a cross”. Just as the cross represents a difficult path, the married life is also difficult. But Christ persisted in His walk because He had such a great love for us, and because He knew that it was how we could be reunited with the Father. So, we take Him for our example, to pursue our own mission in life as a married couple, even if life gets hard, even if we are met with obstacles or roadblocks, because on the other side of each challenge lies a reunion of love and joy.

Lastly, we know that the death of Christ isn’t the end of the story, but that it ends with His resurrection and glory. It is necessary to undergo the little “deaths” of life, passing through them to share in a new life: one that is richer and more abundant.

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That’s it, that’s the text. Let me know your thoughts!

Had you heard of this tradition? What traditions did you have at your wedding? Tell me about their symbolism!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

I write these “To Such As These” posts every now and then to explain some aspect of the Catholic faith to children. I try to use simple language so you can just read it directly to them instead of having to put it into your own words! The category name is inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”

Today, we will be looking at pilgrimages, in light of World Youth Day. I am quite fond of World Youth Day, and pilgrimages in general, as my own World Youth Day experience really drove me to become more engaged with my faith and was the catalyst for my lifelong pilgrimage!

If you have any topics you’d like me to cover in this category, pop them in the comments and I’ll add them to the list!

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Not long ago, you may have heard, the global Church held an event for its young people called World Youth Day. Perhaps you know someone who went, or maybe you were able to go yourself! Everyone who attended the event was called a pilgrim.

You may have heard this term used to describe other people, too – it’s not just a word for people going to World Youth Day. Pilgrim is a word used to describe a person who is taking a journey, usually a long way from their home, for a religious purpose.

This means that there are other famous pilgrimage sites. Many people who went to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal also visited a place called Fatima, which is where the Virgin Mary appeared to three young children. There is the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain, which leads to a shrine for St James – keep this one in mind, we’ll come back to it a little later. Large numbers of people travel to the Holy Land each year, to walk where Jesus walked. Many people go to the Vatican, too, to listen to the Pope or maybe even visit the tomb of our first Pope, St Peter. Every single person who goes on one of these trips is called a pilgrim.

Some people choose to go on pilgrimages in groups while others travel alone, but pilgrimages are about encounters, or meeting others. There is always the meeting with God through the prayers we make along the way or once we get to our destination, and there is also the aspect of human encounters. Even if you know everyone who is going with you, chances are, you’ll get to know them in a new or different way as you journey together. If you are travelling alone, you will likely meet other pilgrims on their way to the same place! Ultimately, these encounters, human or spiritual, can lead us to grow and change. And that’s really the great beauty of pilgrimages.

As Catholics, even if we never leave our hometown, and never go anywhere religious other than our own local church, we are all pilgrims on this Earth. This is symbolised in our baptism. A typical baptism for infants uses a scallop shell to pour water over the infant’s head. This shell is traditionally associated with the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage. These shells are abundant in the region of Spain where this famous walk is. Those who walk this trail cannot bring enough food and water for the journey, because the full trail can take over a month to walk! In the early days of this pilgrimage, there were no restaurants or hotels along the way yet, so pilgrims would carry one of these shells and rely on God acting through the kindness of locals to give them food (which they would eat from these shells) and a place to sleep.

Our common pilgrimage is a spiritual one that lasts all our life. All of us are here on Earth to share the Good News with the people we meet, and we are all journeying back to God. Let us recall and imitate the reliance of the early pilgrims on the Lord as they walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, as we go through life, trusting that He is with us, every step of the way.

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Talking points:

• Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? What was the biggest thing you got out of it?
• If you could go on a pilgrimage, where would you go? What would you want to see?
• Think about going on a pilgrimage with someone you love and someone you could learn to love better. Do you think you could learn something new about them? How might your relationship change after a pilgrimage?
• Tell me about one encounter you have had this week that has helped you to change or grow.

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Let me know how you would explain pilgrimages to your little ones. Is there anything I missed? What has your involvement with pilgrimages been like? Have you taken your kids on any? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary. It is a remembrance practiced from the early church of the Blessed Mother being taken up body and soul into heaven because she was holy. As the New Ark of the Covenant, we know she was not holy on her own merit (who is, other than Jesus Christ?), but because of Jesus. It is her Son who made her holy.

Today, I want to reflect on how our children should also sanctify us. Obviously they won’t be able to do so in the same, perfect way that Mary was sanctified by the Lord, but in their own way, they draw us closer to God.

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Let’s start at the beginning, when you become a mother. As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, and earlier for couples who consciously make a decision to try to conceive, think about the sacrifices you make, the inconveniences you accept, when this baby first arrives in your life. You already make your best efforts to give them the best start possible by avoiding certain foods, consuming certain others, accepting the fatigue and anxieties and all the aches and pains that occur throughout pregnancy. Calling to mind that love is a decision, and involves action to will the good of the other, pregnancy is where that self-giving love first manifests in a mother. Your child needs you to nourish and protect it from the earliest days, and without question, that is what good mothers do. This call to self-sacrifice is one way we can become more like Christ, another way to express love. And of course, this continues throughout a child’s life, as we feed them, care for them, and provide for them.

Another sanctifying grace comes to mind when I think of our prayer as a family as part of the bedtime routine. This has been one of the parts of the day I look forward to the most, as we all get to share our hearts before the Lord. And prayers are really about changing our hearts, so we are definitely growing in holiness! I am so grateful for the time we spend changing our hearts as a family.

There is also patience! Oh, the patience this child has required of me, through the newborn days, whenever there’s a sleep regression, those clingy days of teething, and on it goes… What a gift it is that the Holy Spirit gives me these opportunities so my patience can increase. This and other God-like qualities (understanding, self-control, think along the lines of the gifts and fruits of the Spirit), should continue to increase as we journey in parenthood.

That said, there are moments of innocence that give me a glimpse into how God must delight in us, as his sons and daughters. This increases awe and wonder (fear of the Lord!), and especially my gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice, as without it, we would never be seen as such!

The parenting role itself helps me to understand the heart of God, as well. He gives me everything I need to succeed, but to help me to grow, He doesn’t just do things for me. He gives me the tools, He gives me the ability, and He does things with me. I can understand how pleased He would be when I overcome a challenge or learn something new, and when I spend time with Him. Naturally, this should help deepen my relationship with the Lord, as it gives me some insight into the depths of His love for me (still remembering that His love for me is perfect and mine for my child is far from it).

Our last point today is that of unconditional love. My love for my child is immense and unconditional, and yet I know that the Lord’s love for me is even more than this. He loves all of us perfectly, and that humbling thought is probably one of the most amazing things parenthood offers.

These are just a few ways I can think of that our children sanctify us. God does not call us to things for no purpose. He calls us with a view to sanctification. Just as Mary said “yes” to God and allowed Him to sanctify her perfectly through Christ, as parents, we too should follow His will, allowing Him to sanctify us through our children.

Have you ever taken a break from trying to help your child grow in holiness and thought about how your children help to enhance your own spiritual life? Why not take a moment to reflect on this now, and share your thoughts in the comments? I’d love to hear the awesome things God is doing in your lives through your children – they truly are blessings!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Well, here we are at another Sunday. Time to look back on last week and exercise some gratitude! I’ll start.

I had another pop-in visit from my husband during his workday this week! It was brief but lovely. On the same day, I’m sure there was something else really lovely he did and I mentioned it making my joys of the week, but Mom brain is getting the better of me and I cannot remember what it was. So… suffice to say, I’m grateful for my husband. He brings many joys.

We had some lovely weather late in the week, so I was able to go to the park with my kiddo a few times. It was so nice to see all the interactions with other kids. One parent who we met while at the park gifted us a ball, as well. We live in a wonderful neighbourhood and I have much to be grateful for here!

The last joy I will write about today is our family outing yesterday. We were able to go and play disc golf as a family! Well, more accurately, my husband played, I threw a few discs but terribly, and the kid walked around a little bit, picking up rocks, sticks, pine cones, and acorns. It was a great day out together, we were able to enjoy nature and as a bonus, it was on the grounds of a formerly Catholic school (there are lots of those around here), where they kept a few statues as well as the burial place of some brothers who presumably lived there and possibly served at the school(?), so we were able to say a few prayers – I think it’s the first time my kid heard the “eternal rest grant unto them…” prayer.

I’d love to hear your joys if you’ll share them in the comments!

Until next time, let’s pray for one another. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Alright, I have a confession to make: I am not a morning person. I need God’s grace – and a whole lot of it – to get me up and out of bed. I’m not one of those people who needs a coffee in the morning, but let’s be honest, I do function better after I’ve slugged a little caffeine.

I sometimes wonder what waking up in the morning feels like for my baby. Maybe Baby needs a little pick-me-up as well, but I can’t very well be giving a shot of coffee… yet.

While I do look forward to the days when we’ll go grab a coffee together, I know they are still quite a way off. Until that day comes, we like to use this morning offering to jump-start our sleepy muscles, to remind us that God created us as immortal souls with mortal bodies, and to offer Him ourselves for the day!

I created “actions” to go along with the prayer. Not only does it revitalise the body, but it also acts as a memory aid! They go like this:

• First we wave our hands and wiggle our fingers.
• Then we tap our toes.
• We put our finger tips to our lips.
• Then, on our eyelids and off so we can open our eyes.
• After this, we put our hands on our heads.
• We run our hands up from our bellies into the air, as if we were following the path of our breath on an exhale.
• We hold a hand over our heart and make a “heartbeat” five times to mark important words/phrases (in bold below).
• And lastly we launch into a whole body wriggle!

The prayer goes like this:

Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work,
I give you my feet to go your way,
I give you my tongue to speak your words,
I give you my eyes to see as you do,
I give you my mind that you may think in me,
I give you my spirit that you may pray in me,
Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me, your Father, and all mankind.
I give you my whole self that you may grow in me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.

Amen.

What do you do to help you wake up? Are there any fun parts of your morning routine you can share with us? Hope to get some good discussion going in the comments!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Our monthly devotion this month is to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

As mothers, I’m sure we can all attest to the miracle of motherly love. It has a burning intensity that emboldens us to fight for our children, and gives us a supernatural strength to go above and beyond for them, despite the constant demands and the sleepless nights. And yet, while it is a powerful force, it simultaneously brings a quality of tenderness and a safety, allowing our children to open up and share their vulnerabilities, or find what comfort they might need.

Having been entrusted to Mary by the Lord, she loves us with her Immaculate Heart as her children, and it is wonderful to be able to turn to her with our problems, knowing that she listens as a mother and will plead with her Son for us.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how she loved her first child (before He bequeathed her with all the disciples He loved) with that same Immaculate Heart, and what we can learn from our Blessed Mother about loving Jesus.

There is not much written in the Gospels about her, but there are a few major events that come to mind: first, the annunciation, the nativity, the flight to Egypt, the presentation at the temple, the finding at the temple, the wedding at Cana, and finally, standing at the foot of the cross. I believe that each of these events can teach us something about how we should aim to love Jesus.

To me, the Annunciation represents obedience to God and acceptance of His will. We should learn, like Mary, to say yes to God, and to do as He says. To do this, it is also important for us to follow her example of trusting in Him.

The birth of our Lord is a sharing of Jesus with the world. Think about it… She was pregnant with him for 9 months. In that time, she had Him all to herself (remember the quiet, intimate shared moments when you were pregnant with your first?). When we receive the Lord in our lives, we can also appreciate this dyadic relationship. It is beautiful. And indeed, we should set aside some good one-on-one time with Jesus. But we cannot keep the Lord all to ourselves, and there are definitely times we are called to share Him with others.

The presentation is Mary’s offering of Jesus to the Father. In Jewish tradition, the first-born son is offered back to God. At the same time, Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary’s heart. We know that Jesus is offered to God every time we celebrate the Eucharist. As we unite with the priest to offer Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father at each Mass, let us also unite our sorrows and suffering (as well as our hopes and joys, and indeed, our whole lives… “lift up your hearts”, anyone?) to His sacrifice, and join in the redemption of souls!

The finding at the temple is Mary’s search for Jesus. Are there times when you lose sight of Christ in your life? I won’t lie, it happens to me more often than it should. We too, should always be looking for the Lord. And when we do find Him, keep Him in your sight!

There is, of course, Mary’s famous role at the wedding at Cana, which I have previously written about. In summary, we should bring our troubles to the Lord in complete faith that He can handle the situation. We also have Mary’s words as well as her example here, where she says to the servants, “do whatever He tells you”.  You can read more of my thoughts on this here.

Finally, Mary stood at the foot of the cross with a handful of loyal followers. She remained loyal to the end (what mother would leave her suffering son?). We too, should strive to be faithful to Jesus to the end, especially when there is suffering, in the places of shame and pain and anguish and isolation. We may not be able to do anything, but remaining with our Lord is already a great act.

What has Mary taught you about how to love our Lord? I’m interested to see your thoughts in the comments!

Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!