Tag: catholic mom

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!

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!

Reflections on Parenting: Prayers for patience

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As parents, how many times are we taught the virtue of patience? I remember hearing a homily once with the basic message of “be careful what you ask for”, because usually, if you ask for more patience, God, in His wisdom, will give you opportunities to practice patience!

Still, it’s so important for us to grow in patience. With our children, because they need it, and in all other times, because God calls us to it!

Do you pray for help when parenting gets challenging (and when you find yourself getting impatient at other times)? Any favourite prayers? I’d love to read them in the comments!

My personal go-to seems to be “God help me”, usually uttered under my breath right in the moment. There are, however, many more prayers for patience, some simple, some more complex, depending on the situation. Below are some prayers for when you need a little help keeping calm and patience.

For the virtue of patience

Come Holy Spirit, and grant me the virtue of patience.

Lord, may your patience

Lord, may your patience with me be a motivation and a source of growth in my patience with others.

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of my life, in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.

Let me forget myself so that I may enjoy the happiness of others. Let me always hide my little pains and heartaches so that I may be the only one to suffer from them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden or embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable; that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow or proud or overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence; no one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble, for having been a fellow traveler with me on our journey towards eternal life.

As I meet with one cross after another, let me whisper a word of love to You. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. Amen

Prayer to Our Lady of Consolation

Blessed Mary, Mother of Consolation, pray with me for the virtue of patience. There are so many times when my lack of patience keeps me from becoming the kind of person God wants me to be.

Guide my thoughts to you and the example we have in your own life. Help me to become patient, as you were patient. Through your guidance, may I become more accepting of others around me. Assist me to welcome difficult times with a patient heart.

May I be patient, Mary, as was your beloved husband, Joseph. His quiet acceptance of the will of Our Loving Father should be an example for me always. His patience was most wonderful in the eyes of God.

Pray for me, dear Mother of God, that I will allow the Father to come into my heart and help me grow in patience. Amen.

From the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, OH

Hope these can be helpful for you! 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 1-8

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These weekly reviews always sneak up on me… how do they come so often?! Anyway. Let me kick us off.

Our baby started walking! Still a few tumbles here and there, but it’s enough steps to stop counting. It’s so bittersweet… but if I cut myself out of the picture, I’m happy that bub is getting more independent and gradually spreading those wings! I’m so wary that I’ll blink and it’ll be time to head off to college, but that’sgoing to be another (bittersweet) joy for another day.

I bought matching summer swimwear for the whole family this week. Usually I don’t like to match (and often avoid matching with my husband!), but these outfits have a fun citrusy summer vibe, so I’m actually excited to wear them together! It was a bit tricky, as I had bought hubby’s swim trunks online and had to go to the ohysical stores to see if they had anything in my size that would work… and they did! We even got a matchy picnic blanket!

I got off the waitlist and onto the real list for a dance event! It’s not for a few months, but I have been looking for opportunities to up my dance, and I am glad to be going! I’m pleasantly surprised at the level I was put in, as well! Feeling a little rusty at present, but there are a few opportunities between now and then, where hopefully I will be able to dust off the cobwebs and get back into it.

Let me know what your joys have been this week – I’d love for us to celebrate one another’s little victories and give thanks to the Father! Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!

Monthly Devotion: the Precious Blood

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The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood.

There are so many things that I could say about this, but I think I’d like to focus on the life-giving aspect of blood.

The Jewish faith, which is the early basis of our Catholic faith, holds that the life is in the blood and God gave it to make atonement through sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11). This is the context into which Jesus entered our world as God’s word incarnate, and gave Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. The significance of blood throughout the Old Testament is vital (no pun intended), and it prefigures Christ’s sacrifice, which carries that same significance. Perhaps that’s something to dive deeper into in a future post, though. Today, I’d like to look at the role of the blood in motherhood and what it can reveal to us about Christ’s Precious Blood.

When I think about blood specifically as it pertains to motherhood, there are two functions that stand out:

  1. As women, we bleed monthly (more or less). This blood is what forms the lining of the uterus. It is usually replaced at the beginning of each cycle, but that uterine blood is retained if a woman falls pregnant. The new baby, which at this point consists of a fertilised egg, is implanted into this cushion of blood, which surrounds the new life as it continues to develop inside the womb. The very beginnings of every human life require blood – blood that is not theirs.
  2. After the baby is born, many mothers take up breastfeeding. In this process, the milk is made from their blood, and for newborns, this milk contains all the nutrients required for growth and development, and even anitbodies that can help protect them from some diseases. Mothers give of their own blood in order to continue to sustain their dependent infants and help them grow.

The life-giving graces we obtain through the spilling of the Precious Blood of our Lord are elevated above our human understanding of blood, but in my reflection on this subject, a couple of parallels have emerged for me.

Jesus’ blood is necessary for us to partake in new life, just as the lining of the uterus provides the environment needed for a new baby’s life to take hold. The zygote is implanted, literally buried in this lining, so it is completely covered by it. In the lining, it is protected and begins to grow. Had Christ’s Precious Blood not been shed on the cross, we would not be washed before God and adopted into His family. His blood is on us and on our children (Mt 27:25), covering us and making it possible for us to begin our lives as God’s children.

Then, like the nourishment a baby receives from breastmilk, the blood of Jesus which we receive each time we partake in the Eucharist (who is present in body, blood, soul, and divinity no matter if the form is under the appearance of bread or wine), is spiritual nourishment. I find Christ’s title of “Good Pelican” to be particularly poignant in this regard. When there is insufficient food for her babies, a mother pelican will use her beak to take parts of her own flesh to feed to them and help them grow – though extreme, it is similar to how breastfeeding works, and is also analogous to the Lord’s own sacrifice of self. Through the gift of the Eucharist, we receive Jesus, and He takes us to Himself to change our hearts little by little, helping us attain spiritual growth. The Eucharist also provides a protective factor. You see, much like the antibodies in breastmilk can help babies fight off illness, the Eucharist washes away venial sins, helping to heal our souls of spiritual ills.

Anyway, these are just some musings, but I hope they can help us to appreciate the life we receive through the precious blood of Jesus in a new way.

Have you noticed any other parallels when it comes to the Precious Blood? Let me know your thoughts!

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: green mango and chickpea salad with garlic prawn skewers

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Again, no life story here, just a fresh summer salad meal that’s perfect for entertaining Catholics and non-Catholics alike on any given Friday! I’ll just add that the shrimp make this a celebratory kind of Friday unless you can grab those shrimp on sale. Let’s try to exercise austerity in remembrance of Christ’s suffering. Otherwise, you could always skip the shrimp and just do the salad with a little extra protein (I like to use the age-old staple of canned tuna, or you could serve some crispy fried tofu on the side for a little crunch!).

Materials:

  • 2 small bowls
  • Medium bowl
  • Skewers
  • Watertight jar
  • Large bowl

Ingredients:

  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  • 3 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1 pound large shrimp, shelled, tails on
  • ¼ c + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp + ¼ c fresh flat parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic + 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cayenne pepper powder (optional, to taste)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder (optional)
  • 2c chickpeas (if canned, drain)
  • 1 small green mango, julienned
  • 1 cayenne chilli, thinly sliced on the bias (optional and/or remove seeds/membranes to decrease heat as desired – the more seeds you keep, the hotter it will be)
  • 1 large lebanese cucumber, diced
  • 1 small yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1c cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • 1 large handful parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 large firm but ripe avocado, diced
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard

Prep:

For the pickled onion (can be done ahead of time):

  • Place onion, white vinegar and sugar into a small bowl and mix. Let sit at least 30 minutes then strain

For the Garlic Shrimp:

  • Whisk together ¼ c olive oil, cilantro, 2 tbsp parsley, tarragon, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice, cayenne pepper powder (optional), a generous pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of pepper in a medium bowl.
  • Set aside about a quarter of the mixture in a small bowl.
  • Add the shrimp to the remaining mixture in the medium bowl, cover, and let sit at least 30 minutes.
  • Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, making sure to get a bunch of the garlic and herbs on each shrimp skewer, and if you like, dust with garlic powder for an extra garlic kick.

For the dressing:

  • Into a jar, pour the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Close the lid tightly and shake well. Add thyme leaves (if desired) and lightly swirl.

Instructions:

  • On a grill or grilling pan heated to medium high heat, cook shrimp skewers, about 2 minutes each side. Once all skewers have been cooked, dress with remaining herby garlic mix.
  • In a large bowl, mix together pickled onion, chickpeas, mango, cayenne pepper (optional), cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes and parsley.
  • Pour dressing over the mix as desired, and toss.
  • Add avocado and gently toss.
  • Enjoy!

I’m interested to know what you thought, so please let me know in the comments! Same goes if you made any changes you’d like to share!

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: June 11-17

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What a week it has been! You’ll have to excuse the late joys post; the little one is going through a rough patch, so this short post has literally taken me days to write up!

We started with my baby’s birthday party and that was so good on so many counts! A day of joy, despite all the stress in the lead-up and the tiredness in the aftermath.

We went on a neighborhood walk and met a baby who lives a few doors down and whose birthday is the day before our baby’s! We even had a playdate with them! We had fun and we hope to see them again soon!

Our family had a few moments after the Saturday Vigil Mass to socialise with some of the parishioners, which was lovely. We learned that the stained glass windows in our church were entirely done by local volunteers as a gift to the parish didn’t – it took ten years of planning!

So now it’s your turn. What were some of your joys (from last week!)?

Joys of the Week: June 3-11

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Well, it’s that time of the week again… time to share our joys of the week!

I’m getting a bit of clarity on something I’ve been discerning for several weeks, now. I’ve still got some discerning to do, but getting some direction on where to go next is a good feeling!

We have an exclusive conact napper since birth, but just this week, I have managed to transfer my baby to the bed – twice! I’ve only had 10-15 minutes to myself but preparing food in peace has been so appreciated!

Last night, I got to have some food I’ve been wanting to eat for a loooong time. It’s a dish I haven’t had in years… and it did not disappoint!

What about you? What brought you joy last week? 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!

Joys of the Week: May 28 – Jun 3

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I missed posting last week! We had a terribly hectic weekend, so I didn’t get time to write about my joys (well, I needed the rest more than I had the inclination to write). But I’m back this week and I’d love to read about your joys too, so leave them in the comments!

On Sunday, we went to church at a different parish, because our parish Mass schedule was changed and we forgot (oops!). But it was a chance to discover a beautiful, new (to us) church, it was visually stunning! And the priest was on fire for his homily! It was truly a blessing in disguise.

I’ve personally been discerning about a return to the workforce (please pray for me!), but changing up what I do for work in a big way! I started to take some practical steps this week to find out how feasible the idea I’ve been feeling called to would be and got some encouraging news. I know more prayer and more research is to be done, but I’m happy to take it slow.

I’ve been crafting a little for kiddo’s birthday, which always brings me joy. It’s a smaller, let’s say a humbler joy, but a joy nonetheless!

Please put your joys in the comments. I love to hear from you! 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 – Apr 30 – May 6

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How was your week? My week was pretty rough, but there are always blessings to be counted. God is good, all the time! Let’s reflect and express gratitude.

Sunday started the week beautifully with a family jam… The little one started it by playing some rhythms on the high chair tray at the end of breakfast, so I broke out a couple of percussive instruments and we spent a little while just jamming together! Thank you God for anticipatory Masses (I’m beginning to understand why that was the timeslot of choice for my parents while I was growing up!).

Hubby and I got some spring cleaning done this week, and while the house isn’t completely spic and span (how often does that realistically happen with young children?), it definitely feels a lot more manageable. It was also nice to be able to donate some of the clothes we don’t use anymore to our parish thrift store. It is too easy to buy into (no pun intended) the materialistic consumerism that is ubiquitously in our faces. Fighting that is hard, but like GK Chesterton says, “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” We gotta keep striving to live counter-cultural lives!

A family member had some medical tests that we were waiting on results for, and they all came back clear! All things in God’s time, but that’s still a big relief for me at this point in time.

Alright, that’s enough of me-talk. What about you? What are some of your joys of the week?

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