Today's reading's can be found at USCCB
We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24
Hebrews 10:24
As a mother we have the special vocation of rousing our children to love and good works. That, I would say, is a hard thing to do. It is easy to love strangers, to do random acts of kindness, but when it is the end of a long day of diaper changing, feeding hungry mouths, and answering all kinds of ridiculous questions from a toddler trying to get their fair share of attention, that's a different story. Not to say I don't love my children, more, in fact, than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my life, but do I show them that when they aren't being lovely little angels? How to I balance discipline and unconditional love? How do I show my young children that I disapprove of their behavior while showing them the love of Christ?
Yesterday I found myself snapping at my children. Not at the 2 month old, just the toddlers:) They all wanted my attention, my love, but one was screaming for it, and the other kept getting into the dinner I was in the process of preparing while asking ridiculous and redundant questions in[ a very high pitched baby like voice..."mom, what color is your Hair?" over and over again. It is moments like this, a long time after morning prayer, that I loose my anchor, I forget why I'm doing this all anyway, I'm just trying to make it to the end of the day. In those moments, and their are several in the course of the day, I need to pray, then remember that I'm supposed to be teaching my children how to love others, not just how to get love for themselves. I could ask them to help me so that we can make dinner for Daddy. Tell them why I'm doing what I'm doing and then get them involved. They are little, two and one, so I'm going to have to get creative when it comes to how they can help.
What Jesus calls us to in the scripture is easily said, but in the nitty gritty of everyday life especially as a mom, the how to do what we are called to do is the question. We have to continually tap into the love of Jesus through constant prayer, to have the energy and wisdom to live the word.
Jesus, help me today, to return to you every time I feel overwhelmed, to rely on your love to recharge me so that I can be a light to my children, rousing them to love and goodworks. Amen
I really like when you wrote: "I need to pray, then remember that I'm supposed to be teaching my children how to love others, not just how to get love for themselves." I think that's a profound and true statement. We need to shower our kids with enough love so that they don't go seeking it elsewhere (and to teach them of God's love for them), while simultaneously showing them the importance of loving others (along with how to be generous, kind, patient, forgiving, and so on). This is a complicated endeavor, but I think it is central to our role as Christian moms!
ReplyDeleteAnd as a side note, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one with a demanding preschooler who is constantly coming up with "creative" ways to get my attention :)