A Mother's Heart

August 17, 2012

“The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.” ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

A few years ago, something happened to me that changed my perspective on what motherhood really means. I remember it as if it were yesterday. At the time, my prayers were focused on one thing: becoming a good mother.

I wanted to be a good mother to my newborn son. And, as the wife of a priest, I wanted to learn how to be a mother of the church. Both are overwhelming tasks, tasks that I cannot handle on my own. So I looked to the best mentor and guide I could find for this vocation: the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of our Savior Jesus Christ.

At the time, there was a group of young women I was discipling in a small group. We were growing in the Word of God. We had spiritual retreats and fellowship outings. We had fun too – with cooking nights and having them over to spend the night.

A “Whatever It Takes" Mentality

August 13, 2012

I know a guy who throws away the batteries in the TV remote control whenever he checks into a hotel.I know a guy who cut the internet service out of his home.I know a young lady who will hug everyone in the world except for her fiancé. She won’t even hold hands with him until they’re married.I know a man who refuses to look up when in line at the grocery store – he just stares at the ground and barely makes eye contact with the cashier because he wants to avoid seeing the trashy tabloids by the register.

Are these people insane? What’s wrong with them? I mean, I understand they’re trying to remain pure and avoid temptation, but it seems a bit extreme doesn’t it?

What they’re doing is what we’re all called to do in a sense. I’m not talking about what they did specifically, but rather the way they approached their problem. These people all have something that many of us lack today: a WHATEVER IT TAKES mentality.