Freedom

I wanted to write this post last night, because as I lay in bed, the most eloquent words seemed to float out of my thoughts. Often I find that’s the way it happens, and I just have to get up and get them written down before they are long gone.  However my baby who hadn’t slept at all the previous night, was peacefully tucked into his crib, and I didn’t know how much time for sleep I would have, so I chose to stay in bed.  This as it turns out was a wise choice, because he only ended up sleeping for an hour, and I’m glad I spent that time doing that elusive thing which is sleeping without a baby beside me.  I was hoping and praying that when the time presented itself today those thoughts would return in all their eloquent glory, but alas, it was not to be.  So I’m just going to plug away with whatever comes in this moment.  This is real life.

Circling Back

During the homily at Mass this week, I sat and watched my toddler happily keeping himself busy in our church lobby when it suddenly occurred to me - he doesn't have a pull-up on.  This was completely unintentional, and although he's been doing well at home the past couple of weeks, we have yet to venture out in public without the added security of some kind of disposable (and leak-proof) undergarments.  Realizing my error, I asked my daughter (8) if she would hold the baby so I could take him to the bathroom.  "I'll take David to the bathroom," she offered, and I watched her sweetly take him by the hand and walk her brother to the washroom.  And he officially made it through his first trip out with no mistakes.

And The Word Became Flesh

We say the Angelus before Grace at every meal, but like so many other prayers I often find myself just rattling off the words without much thought.  Not so this past Saturday.  Let me set the scene.

The Hem of His Garment

My life is...overwhelming.  Happy, of course.  Blessed, and full of joy.  I have always wanted a big family, and I knew it would come with its own struggles.  And yet, that doesn't lessen their impact.  Living day in and day out with the intensity that comes with a large family can be draining.  It can be difficult to keep your gaze on Christ.

How will my children know Him?

My children and I spend a lot of time together in prayer and devotions.  We have the regular prayer times we take as a family (grace, the Angelus, morning gospel readings), we have evening prayer at our parish once a week, monthly adoration and rosary, and we attend Mass every Sunday and during the week when we can.  Like probably every other Catholic parent on the planet, I watch my children in all of these situations with little to no real sign of participating or understanding, just of being there because Mom and Dad bring them. Which is okay, because I know they are all so young still and I don't expect conversion to happen overnight.  Still I can't help but wonder if I am doing enough to help them know the Lord beyond the mechanics of everything we do, how do you make the transition from faith being something you do to becoming a relationship with a person that permeates everything you do?

Holy Week and the Human Factor

"The human factor...is valued as a method in the Church, a means by which something greater is channelled in our direction.  In fact, because human reality is God's means of self-communication, what reaches us via the human factor is more than human. It is divine."  (L. Giussani, Why the Church)

To Be Loved

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to attend my first New York Encounter. The friend I attended with had not actually invited me, I more tagged along with her, and her journey to the Encounter was filled with many hardships (as was mine, which I will share about possibly in another post).  When a call for volunteers came through a few weeks before the event and my husband encouraged me to apply, I thought of the possibility that my friend might not make it, and figured that volunteering and having a job to do might make her feel more free to make a decision if she knew I wasn't depending on her to look after me.  I also recalled a friend sharing about his experience of volunteering last year, and knew that it would be a positive experience.