Wow, jumping back into this has been wild! I’m going to try to post regularly, but I can’t really promise anything for now. Anyway, I’m here today and I’m ready to try! So, here are my joys of the week!
Let’s start with what’s probably most obvious to all of us: yes, restarting this blog has been one of my biggest joys this week. It is nice to spend time growing as I reflect on my faith and learn new things! The Catholic faith is just so rich that there will always be something new to learn and that in itself is such a blessing to give thanks for!
My husband had a day off this week as well as finishing work early! It is always nice to spend some extra time together, as a family. I am so grateful for these opportunities to create these precious memories, even if we only do simple things like going to the local park as a family or trying on a bunch of clothes at Walmart.
My boys!
I have also been blessed to spend some time with a good friend and her kids this week. I always feel blessed when I consider her friendship. And I love that despite the age difference, our kids get along really well!
Ms 11 and Ms 9 with Mr 2
What has brought you joy this week? It has been a long time since I have done this, and I am excited to share in your joys again, so feel free to name as many or as few things as you would like to share in the comments!
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 signs and symbols.
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!
Have you ever gone to church and looked at all the statues and paintings and carvings and stained glass windows all around? Our churches would be pretty boring without them all, but they play a more important role than just decoration. They are signs and symbols for us.
What are signs and symbols?
People use signs and symbols as a way to communicate. They are a kind of shortcut way to convey an idea that might need a lot of words to express, but that can be summarised in an image or represented by something else.
Signs are there to show the way to something bigger than themselves. For example, if you are out shopping and you need to use a washroom, you look for the signs that lead the way to the toilet. Or maybe you have seen the signs on the roads that show you where to take an exit if you want to get to a certain town. Perhaps your bedroom has a sign on the door with your name on it, telling everyone who sees the sign that behind the door is your space.
The Gospel of John talks about signs, too. What we might call miracles, John’s Gospel labels “signs”. That is because miracles performed by Jesus act as signs that show us that Jesus is God.
There are lots of symbols used in the Church as well. Symbols are similar to signs, but instead of showing the way to something, they represent something, standing in its place when the actual thing cannot be there.
What signs or symbols are there at church?
Tgere are many signs and symbols you can find in a church. Next time you’re at church have a look around and notice any signs or symbols near you!
In some churches, you might see images of a dove, which would represent the Holy Spirit. Some churches have images of lambs, which represent Jesus, who we call the Lamb of God, as John the Baptist identified at Jesus’ baptism. Sometimes people who are not God are represented by symbols too! For instance St John the Evangelist, is represented by an eagle – you might see it near where the Word of God is proclaimed! You’ll sometimes see statues of saints holding little symbols to represent what they are known for. For instance, St Peter is often shown holding keys, representing that Jesus gave him the keys to Heaven and Earth. St Patrick holds his bishop’s staff and a three-leaf clover to show that he was a bishop who taught people about the trinity. St Francis of Assisi is often portrayed with animals to represent his love of nature – some stories even tell of his preaching to birds!
Some signs and symbols are meant to be experienced in other ways. Holy water is a symbol of our baptism and welcome into God’s family. Candles represent the light of Christ. The smoke from incense represents our prayers going up to heaven.
The most important sign and symbol you will see in our churches is the crucifix, or the cross. They usually are front and centre in our churches and very difficult to miss – that’s just how important this symbol is! The cross sends a message about how much God loved us – as the Gospel of St John tells us, He loved us so much that His only Son Jesus came and gave up His life for each one of us, so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life!
Not as good as the real thing
Statues, paintings, stained glass windows, and other artworks in our churches are signs and symbols, too. They can help us to picture our friends in Heaven, and can inspire us to get a better picture of what Jesus’ life (and death) might have been like. When we see a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or a painting of Divine Mercy, we know that this is just a statue or painting and not actually Jesus, but they can help us to feel closer to Him. It’s just like if your parents carry a photo of you in their wallet or on the background of their phone. They know they’re not carrying you and that they will still have to pick you up from school or dance or soccer or music lessons or whatever you might be doing – but while they’re waiting to come and get you, they can look at your picture and it will most likely bring a smile to their face and warm their heart.
Talking Points
What signs or symbols do you know from your everyday life?
What signs or symbols have you seen in church? What do you think they might mean? Let’s find out if you’re right!
If you got canonised 200 years from now, what would you want your symbol to be? What would it stand for?
Did you or your children learn about any new symbols or signs through your discussion? What’s your favourite sign or symbol in our Faith? I’d love to continue this conversation in the comments with you!
Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!)?
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!
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!
Over the course of Lent this year, I felt a call to share my journey as a Catholic Mom. I decided that come Easter, I would begin, so, here I am! I guess I should start by sharing a bit about who I am and what I want to do with my corner of cyberspace.
My name is Bernadette. As you may have guessed from my ultra-Catholic name, I am a cradle Catholic – but don’t take that to mean that I’m lukewarm! I always held a firm belief in God, but only began to take a real interest in and responsibility my faith when World Youth Day came to my hometown, Sydney, Australia. I was appointed parish representative and worked with other parish reps in the deanery as we prepared for, hosted, and partook of this massive event. It was inspiring to see how these young people were so on fire for Jesus, and I wanted that, too! Over the next few years, I began to study the Catholic faith (and let’s be honest, the Faith is so rich that I don’t think I’ll ever stop!), give more and more of my life to God, and fall deeper in love with Jesus.
I got married in 2021 and we have been blessed with a beautiful baby, who we welcomed into God’s family last year. While you won’t get to meet our child out of respect for both privacy and free will, this baby is a big part of this blog. Since becoming a mother, I have been looking for ways to impart the faith to my child, as my parents did for me. But the world looks different now than it did when I was growing up: there are new minefields to navigate, and a never-ending selection of tools at our disposal, too!
There are a few things I’d like to dedicate this blog to:
Building Community: I believe that community is one of the most valuable things in life, especially for mothers. However, given the decrease in faith in society in general, connecting with other Catholic moms can sometimes be difficult. Thank God for the internet, though, because we can build a virtual community here! I’d like you to be a part of this blog, too, and for us to use this platform to create a little space for us to share our joys, foster gratitude, encourage each other in times of need, and pray for one another.
Celebrating the Catholic Faith: there are so many wonderful saints, and celebrations in our faith, so I would like to create some content around that, with the aim of sharing it with our little Christians, of course!
Exploring Motherhood from a Catholic Viewpoint: we live in a world where we face many challenges in fulfilling our marital promises (and the baptismal promises we made for our children) to raise our little ones in the faith, but we are also blessed with a multitude of wonderful resources that can help us do this! God willing, this blog will be a place to explore the timelessness of Catholic parenting in the modern age.
I hope you’ll follow me as I follow Christ amidst the ups and downs of the messy, strange, sometimes frightening, and always beautiful journey of motherhood!
Oh, and the name of the blog? Well, we all need God’s help, and I would say that parenting as a vocation is one place where this becomes evident! The title is a play on Philippians 4:13, and a reminder that God is always with us, helping us along our entire parenting journey. Let it be our motto; say it loud and proud: I can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens me!
Until next time, let’s pray for each other. And remember, we can do Mom things through Christ who strengthens us!
Mom Things Through Christ 