Our Mothers, Mother Church and Mary, the Mother of God.
The celebration of Mothers Day gives us a special opportunity to appreciate the gift of family that we are given by God. First, of course, we give thanks for the gift of our parents and especially of our mothers. To these who were the first on Earth to love us, whether they are still with us or have been called back to God, we owe a special debt of gratitude: first for the gift of life by their “yes” to that gift from our Heavenly Father and then for the gift of their love by their participation in our upbringing with our earthly fathers (regardless of how imperfect it may have been.)
We also appreciate the gift for those blessed with siblings, who first help us to learn fair play and then walk with us as we grow into adulthood, balancing both independent living and mature sharing of the gifts we have been given (whether through positive or negative example.) We express gratitude for the gift of our children, those whom have been entrusted to us by God to become the witnesses and the bearers of the Good News at the proper time. As their parents, guardians, relatives and friends, we both teach and learn from them to appreciate the beauty of creation and our stewardship of that creation, to be nurtured in humility and in harmony. And so we thank God for the many children we have in parish schools and Religious Education program.
We are indeed given a very special gift by God in the form of family, both those of our immediate families and those who are a part of our family through adoption in the faith at Baptism. It is a gift that we must preserve and cherish with every fiber of our being: defending it in a world that seeks to tear apart the structure which forms the very basis of our society – a basis so important it is called “the domestic Church” as the first school in which we are formed in our values and in our faith. This Mothers Day, remind those in your family how much you love them as family; if Mom has been called to be with God, prayer can be a very effective form of communication. Then, promise them that you will do everything you can to keep that gift safe for the future!One very special person to remember on Mothers Day is our blessed Mother, Mary of Nazareth, who is the model for all mothers - particularly as we begin the observance of the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, the apparition of Mary to the three Portuguese shepherd children Lucia, Jacinta and Francesco.
Some ideas that might be helpful in keeping her in mind by:
- Make simple bouquets of flowers from your garden and have your children ‘give’ them to the statue of Mary at your Church.
- Encourage your children to make simple cards or a drawing for Mary.
- After Mass kneel in front of Mary with your children and wish her a happy mother’s day.
- Create a shrine in your garden or create a special place in your house for a statue of Mary.
- Pray a Rosary as a family on Mother’s Day, taking time to meditate on the motherhood of Mary.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.
Our FORMED Recommendation for the Week
Movie: Finding Fatima
https://formed.org/watch/5728f95a9cc0338407206520
For those who were unable to join us last Sunday (and for those who did and want to watch it again): Produced by the award-winning filmmakers of the highly acclaimed feature film The 13th Day, this powerful and in-depth documentary combines archival footage, dramatic reenactments, original interviews with Fatima experts, and stunning visuals to tell the whole story of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. With high production values and a beautiful look, artists and filmmakers Ian and Dominic Higgins present a compelling docu-drama on the crucial details about the appearances and messages of Our Lady in Fatima in 1917, a message of prayer, penance, and conversion that is desperately needed in our modern world. From the initial apparitions of the angel who prepared the children for Our Lady's coming, to the Miracle of the Sun, including moving film footage from The 13th Day, this illuminating and inspiring film will impact all those who see it to take heed of the critical messages of Our Lady of Fatima.
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