Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Should I put sugar on my cereal?
I wanted to point out today's feast day of St. Francis de Sales because he has so many incredible thoughts for us to ponder. The title of this post sort of indicates that this isn't your average feast day announcement we do. So read on and look at some of of the things he said and apply them to our lives as mothers. Here are a few that stuck out to me along with my commentary:"There are many who say to the Lord, "I give myself wholly to Thee, without any reserve," but there are few who embrace the practice of this abandonment, which consists in receiving with a certain indifference every sort of event, as it happens in conformity with Divine Providence, as well afflictions as consolations, contempt and reproaches as honor and glory."
Well if this isn't the story of MY life! How easy it is to consecrate ourselves to God each day, but how many of us actually LIVE that conviction?! If we truly wanted to be one with Him, the trials we encounter wouldn't phase us so much as they do. God allows ALL THINGS for a reason. He is trimming our unwieldy branches with hard times...
"Every moment comes to us pregnant with a command from God, only to pass on and plunge into eternity, there to remain forever what we have made of it."
We have opportunities at every waking moment. Achieve sainthood by making the most of them.
"An action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent than one of a higher virtue, done with less love of God."
This is especially encouraging to me, who has such a difficult time with "big" things like fasting. When I struggle with tormenting thoughts on whether or not to sacrifice sprinkling sugar on my Cheerios--and I choose to eat them plain in atonement for my sins or for the holiness of my husband, or for an end to abortion etc.-- that's when I've conquered a little piece of myself to give to HIM. It sounds so silly and trivial... but with love it is made great.
"The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us."
I don't think anything more needs to be said.
"To be perfect in one's vocation is nothing else than to perform the duties and offices to which one is obliged, solely for the honor and love of God, referring to His glory. Whoever works in this manner may be called perfect in his state, a man according to the heart and will of God."
There is no magic wand that some mothers have and others don't. We can't measure how "good" a mother is by most objective standards. I used to think I wasn't cut out for maternal things. But this just was my muddy excuse for being impatient and annoyed with my kids. But if I turn that around and see that this is what I'm CALLED to--and I do it with love-- there my perfection will be.
"Consider all the past as nothing, and say, like David: Now I begin to love my God."
This is beautiful. There is no time like today. Forget all the imperfections you've struggled with and just DO IT! Just love God and live your vocation and purge your flaws slowly from your life. The saints aren't just some nice legends to be admired in picture books. They are REAL people who struggled with real problems. We can get there. There are no excuses... the sacraments can help us. We are all called to be saints.-Ellie
Labels: feastdays, Reflections
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