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Monthly Devotion: Immaculate Heart of Mary

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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!

Joys of the Week: July 23-29

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Happy Sunday! Let’s count our blessings. What are your joys of the week? I’ll start!

We invited a bunch of friends to come and hang out with us at our local lake on Sunday afternoon for a Christmasin July. It was so nice to just chill and enjoy the warm weather! We also had fun playing a game of dirty santa – if you’ve never played, you must try it at your next get together (it really is a case of the more the merrier) – and we ended up negotiating and trading and whatnot and everyone was happy in the end!

We made friends with a neighbor! It’s pretty densely packed in our neighbourhood, but it was lovely to be able to chat with somebody who had been through the whole motherhood thing before. I didn’t ask but I get the sense she might be Christian, too, so it might be nice to have some fellowship!

Yesterday we had some fun at a farm with one of my Mom friends. Someone who’s been through it before is good, but someone who’s in the trenches next to you is even better. And our kids got to interact a bit, too, which is always lovely to see!

Alright, your turn! Box up your joys in a little comment and send it over!

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

August Prayers

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Another month, another prayer thread!

All you have to do is leave your prayer requests in the comments! As always, I will be checking back throughout the month as I update my personal prayer list, to see if there is anything to add! And if it’s something you don’t want to share but you want prayers, just ask me to pray for you – God knows what you need, so I’ll just direct His attention to you. It’d be nice if you could hold everyone else who comments in your own prayers as well, and please pray for the Papal intention for August too. This one is very close to my heart, because it is for the event that prompted me to really embrace my Catholic faith life!


August: For World Youth Day
We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives.


Thanks for helping to build this community through prayer. It’s cheesy, but it’s true: there is no community without U ‘N’ I!


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

Modern Society

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What would you change about modern society?

I think the biggest issue with moden society in the developed world is the emphasis on individualism.

My desires… my needs… my freedom… my fears… my identity… my goals… my plans…

The value of the family within society has been eroding over the last several decades. We see divorce rates increasing while marriage rates fall, increased availability of contraceptives with no discernible decline in abortions, a lack of support in many places when it comes to peri-partum care and childcare, the rise of separation between generations and the list goes on. Communities of the self-identified childfree (and angry about it) are increasingly vocal in the public sphere about their disdain for children.

And yet, children are the future. I don’t mean this as some saccharine platitude. They literally are the next generation. They will pay the taxes to support the current workers in their old age and decide the future of government. And the quality of their family life will impact their development and colour their own values.

The family is the basic building block of society. It is not only where the next generation is created, but it is also where we first learn about human interaction. It is the first school of caring for the needy, and our first model of love. It is our very first community, where we learn to share, to help others and to seek help from others, to give and to forgive. In families, we learn to be united with others in a symbiotic dance of interdependence.

And yes, the world is fallen and we are under the effects of sin. So there is suffering, there is pain and hardship, and some of that cannot be undone. But if we point our noses away from our navels, if we can understand just what a treasure it would be to have a healthy family life as far as possible in this world, perhaps we can minimise the harm to future generations, and change the way society functions.

When we can learn how to walk with our own family through every season of life, leaning on and supporting one another in turn, and showing each other understanding and kindness, perhaps our children will learn to walk with others in that way.

What would I change in modern society? I would change the way families are viewed and valued.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Pope Francis that might encourage you on your walk with your family:

In families, there are difficulties. In families, we argue; in families, sometimes the plates fly; in families, the children give us headaches. And I’m not even going to mention the mother-in-law. But in families, there is always, always, the cross. Always. Because the love of God, of the Son of God, also opened for us this path. But, in families as well, after the cross, there is the resurrection. Because the Son of God opened for us this path. Because of this, the family is — forgive the term I’ll use — it is a factory of hope, of hope of life and of resurrection. God was the one who opened this path… In families, there are difficulties, but these difficulties are overcome with love. Hate doesn’t overcome any difficulty. Division of hearts doesn’t overcome any difficulty. Only love is capable of overcoming difficulties. Love is a festival. Love is joy. Love is to keep moving forward.

Reflections on Parenting: Perfection

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More often than I’d like, I find myself repeating in my evening prayers, “Sorry I missed morning prayer”. And then I think about why I missed morning prayer. And then, I start to justify it with “but we were in a rush to get to Mass, because sometimes, things that throw the baby’s schedule out just happen”. But justifying an apology negates the apology. It’s like saying “I’m Sorry I yelled at you, but you shouldn’t have left your wet towel on the bed” (Iused to internally yell at myself a lot for this). The person who left their wet towel on the bed (me, it was me) hasn’t received a genuine apology because the justification of the apology, on some level, communicates that they deserved it, at least in part.

I can’t and don’t want to negate my apology to God. He doesn’t deserve to be forgotten or relegated to lesser importance. Ever. So what am I really sorry for? I am sorry that I let Him down, that He wasn’t important enough for me to make myself find other ways to give him praise and offer Him my first fruits.

If I were perfect, as God is perfect, and as we are called to be perfect, I would have found a way to fit in my morning prayers – maybe I could have done them in the car on the way to church. Maybe I could have sung some hymns of praise while I fed or dressed the baby. There are plenty of options that I see in hindsight but that I was blind to as the morning went on, all because God wasn’t as high up on my priorities as He should be.

What I’m trying to say is, “I’m sorry I’m not perfect” isn’t always a snarky teenage response to a parent’s request that they change the way something is done. An apology for our own imperfection, even though we are not directly at fault for it, can be something that we hold in complete congruence with the acceptance of those imperfections. And it can be entirely sincere.

The real reason for our regret may be something else (in the scenario I described, it is my non-attempt at trying to find alternative ways to give God my morning and to show my baby that example), but we can also acknowledge our imperfection, which is really where those reasons stem from. I actually think it’s a very healthy thing to do and to show our children, especially in our spiritual lives. It is another reason to need God, another way to grow in humility.

Let’s bear in mind this quote from St John Fisher:

God alone is perfect, but if we follow His will and empty ourselves so that He might fill us up, we will become more like Him, and we will be perfect too, one day. This may also be an honourable and even aspirational model for our children.

Are your imperfections crosses for you to bear? What practical things help you to bear these crosses? I would love to get your tips in the comments!

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

Joys of the Week: July 16-22

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Another week, another chance to share our joys! As usual, I’ll start, but please feel free to add your own in the comments!

Well, my baby’s growth and development never ceases to amaze, and it is a constant source of joy. More milestones, more improvement, and all in the cutest little package!

I got to go to a social dance – in the before times, I used to do a lot of swing dancing. Then there was a pandemic. And then I had a baby. So opportunities became scant. But today, I had an opportunity, and my wonderful husband volunteered to mind our baby while I enjoyed a couple of hours of afternoon dancing. It was so good to move my body and to connect with the music and other adults!

I quite unexpectedly caught up with some old friends. An old dear friend of mine, it turns out, lives not too far, and has a child close in age to mine, as well! My heart was filled with joy to reconnect.

So grateful to the Lord for these blessings and all the others He bestows on me every day. God is indeed good! What blessings have lifted you up this week? Let’s share in one another’s joys.

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

Meat-free Friday recipe: instant noodle satay

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This title is a bit misleading, but also not. It’s a quick dinner using cheat ingredients (hold onto your pants, instant noodles aren’t the only timer-savers in this dish), but is still super tasty!

Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes

Materials:

  • Paper towels
  • Pot (for noodles)
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk
  • Large frying pan or wok

Ingredients:

  • 1 block (~350g) firm tofu, frozen and thawed, then patted dry with paper towels and cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp peanut oil
  • 3-4 packs instant noodles
  • ⅔ cup peanut butter (smooth works best but crunchy is ok too. I prefer all natural peanut butter.)
  • ⅔ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp garlic powder (I like to use more, but we are a family of garlic fiends)
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • Chilli flakes (optional)
  • Water
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup small broccoli florets (can use frozen, but increase the cook time by a minute or two)
  • ½ red pepper, cut into thin strips

Method

  1. In a frying pan or wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp peanut oil and half the tofu. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Turn the cubes every now and then, until they are crispy and golden-brown, about 6-7 minutes. Repeat for the remaining peanut oil and tofu. Obce batch is done, allow to sit on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
  2. While the tofu is cooking, open packet noodles and discard seasoning. Prepare instant noodles in pot as per packet instructions (minus the seasoning, obviously), then strain.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, lime juice, and ginger, as well as your preferred amount of additional chilli flakes (optional). Gently whisk in water in very small quantities until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If it is too thin, add more peanut butter, in small quantities.
  4. Into your frying pan or wok, add remaining peanut oil and onions. Cook until translucent.
  5. Add broccoli and cover for about 3-4 minutes.
  6. Add peppers, strained noodles, and sauce, stir and cover another 2-3 minutes.
  7. Enjoy!

Did this dish work for you? I’d love to know what you and your family thought, and of course, any changes you might have made. Still refining this recipe over ten years later!

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

To Such as These: The Kingdom of Heaven

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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, quite fittingly, we will be looking at the Kingdom of Heaven.

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!

This Sunday at Mass, we’ll be reading about the Kingdom of Heaven.

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven to help people understand what it’s about. We hear about the kingdom of heaven at other times, too, like when Jesus says “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Every time we pray the Our Father, we say “thy kingdom come”. But what is the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven?

Because God uses concepts we can understand to relate Heavenly ideas to us, it might be helpful to take a look at what a kingdom is in Earthly terms first.

A kingdom as we understand it on Earth, is everything that is ruled over by a king (or queen), who is sometimes called a monarch. The monarch has the final say on the rules of the kingdom and everything in the kingdom ultimately belongs to the monarch.

When we talk about God’s kingdom, St Paul writes in the letter to the Romans, that the kingdom of God is not something physical like the kingdoms of the world. He says, “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17). This means that the way that we live can bring the kingdom to others! If we are righteous, or do what is right by God, and we keep His peace and joy shining within us, this is us living in the kingdom of God! By doing this, and loving others and praying for them, we can help the kingdom grow.

When we talk about God’s kingdom, it’s already begun. When Jesus came to us, He brought the Kingdom of God to Earth. And we know that although He ascended into Heaven, He left us His presence in the gift of the Eucharist. And after He went up to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us to become good representatives of the kingdom, like we just talked about.

So how can we ask God “thy kingdom come” if it’s already here? St Augustine points out that we are asking for His kingdom to come to us. The Church teaches that we are asking for the final, glorious appearance of the kingdom, when Christ comes again – and what a day that will be!

Talking points

  • Is Jesus the King of your whole life? What can you do to give Him more power in your life?
  • What are you doing to represent God’s kingdom to the people around you who don’t know Him or don’t love Him as they should? Can you think of other things you can do to help grow the kingdom of God?
  • What do you think it will be like when Jesus comes again? What can you do to prepare?
  • Let’s pray the Our Father together.

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

Joys of the Week: July 9-16

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Oops, late again! The weeks go by so quickly! Still, let’s share our weekly joys. I’ll start!

Where to begin? Ah Sunday. Our baby has started to walk independently! We all went to see the grandparents after church, and there was a lot of exploring… walking (and falling over and getting back up) in their backyard. This was such a joy to see!

Phase 3! TTA. IYKYK. SFATA (Sorry For All The Acronyms).

We ended the week strong! Even though Papa had to go to work in the morning, we spent the afternoon with some friends, and had some delicious food – lobsters and steak! It was so sweet to watch our baby interacting with theirs, who is only a few months older.

What about you? What has brought you joy this past week? What are you grateful for? Let me know in the comments!

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

Book review: Bless My Child: A Catholic Mother’s Prayer Book

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Bless My Child: A Catholic Mother’s Prayer Book
Julie Cragon
Cover art: Rose Walton
ISBN-10: 1594710147
ISBN-13: 978-1594710148
UPC: 033500021060

This book review is on a book of prayers for Moms! I actually bought it for myself while I was pregnant, having discovered it when I purchased the grandparents’ version as a gift to my own mother in celebration of her first grandchild. There is a lot of overlap between the two, but I don’t think it hurts to have more than one person praying for the same thing!

This thoughtful collection of prayers can be used for many stages of your child’s life, from gestation into adulthood, including for the sacraments!

The prayers themselves are quite modest in their language, without pretense or ostentation (haha, the irony of this review!), and seem to have been written from the heart. They relate to our daily parenting life, the joys, struggles, milestones, and everything in between, and they resonate well with the yearnings of a mother’s heart – some have definitely brought a tear to my eye! Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it also reminds us to pray for ourselves as moms, asking for God’s help and guidance in raising our little saints.

I acknowledge that it is difficult to write prayers for an individual without knowing their gender (that he/she can get a bit clunky and impersonal!). Cragon’s prayers address this by cycling through the use of masculine and feminine pronouns, so some prayers are written using he/him, and other prayers with she/her, but can be prayed for a child of either sex. This may be a stumbling block to some, but I find it easy enough to replace pronouns that didn’t apply with the appropriate ones for my child – I simply think about my child while I read each prayer, and correct as I go along.

There is a Catholic spin on it, hence the title. This is mainly because of the prayers written for receiving the sacraments, as I mentioned earlier. There are also prayers to patron saints of various issues our children may encounter on life’s journey, though neither of these are strictly Catholic things. Aside from these categories of prayer, the book contains many other prayers that could be applied to parents across denominations.

I have the paperback edition, although it is also available as an e-book for Kindle. The satin finish book cover has a sleek feel to it, with just enough grip to be easily held. The paperback book itself is fairly light, and isn’t too big, so it won’t take up too much space on your bedside table or in your bag.

This prayer book would make a great addition to any Catholic mother’s repertoire! It would be a touching gift for any faith-filled mother to celebrate a pregnancy, new birth, baptism, or just because!

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