Mary Our Mother

In commemoration of the Month of Mary, May's meeting centered around a discussion of Mary as a Mother, Wife, and Servant of God.  The discussion opened with a reflection of Pope Benedict XV's statement (1918):

To such and extent did Mary suffer and almost die
with her suffering and dying Son;
to such extent did she surrender her maternal rights
 over her Son for man's salvation,

and immolated him - insofar as she could
 in order to appease the justice of God -

that we might rightly say she
redeemed the human race together with Christ.

A fuller understanding of Mary's role as Mediatrix and Mother of the Church not only allows us to become closer to her, and through her, to Christ, but it also reminds us of the influence and power that we, as mothers, have over the formation of our families' Faith.  By looking to Mary and examining her life and relationship with God, her Father, we gain great insight into what the Lord calls us to do within our own homes.  With this in mind, the group then focused on four key lessons we may learn from Mary by way of her:

• Saying "yes" to God's Will, no matter the apparent cost, sacrifice, or uncertainty involved (Annunciation)
• Offering her Son to God fully (Presentation at the Temple)
• Encouraging and Challenging her Son to "reach his potential" (1st Miracle at Wedding at Cana)
• Bearing witness to her Son's suffering and death (Crucifixion)

Members shared many suggestions for modeling Our Mother Mary within our families - the most important of which was keeping a strong Prayer Life and relationship with Christ so that we may be nourished enough to then "nourish" those for whom we care and raise.   As we work to develop and enrich this relationship, we should consider Pope Pius IX's words, "The foundation of all our confidence...is found in the Blessed Virgin Mary.  For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation.  For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary."

-- Maria File

Teaching the Ways of God

April's meeting included a robust discussion by Tricia K. entitled "Teaching the Ways of God Rather than the Ways of the World." Tricia highlighted many challenges facing Catholic mothers, including instilling a strong sense of Humily, Character, and Faith in a world that often seems in direct opposition to such virtues.  She reminded us all that our family life is the primary "classroom" for teaching such values, and that as mothers, we lay the foundation for Goodness in all that we do, and don't do, for our children.

The group discussed the role of prayer in developing Faith and Character in young children and shared tips on how to involve preschoolers in family prayer and Mass.  We also considered the impact of material and commercial overload in American culture and reminded each other that less is often more -- especially when it comes to children. 

A helpful way to begin forming our Family Culture is through open dialogue, consistency, and the simple proclamation, "This is how we do things in our family."  While this statement certainly won't prevent children from pushing the boundaries we set for them, it will serve as a gentle reminder that our Family Life is a "world" to be respected and valued.  It will also teach children (and remind us) that Character means doing what is good and right regardless of what is may be popular or expected.

Among the many helpful tips and resources we shared at this meeting, are some websites that provide detailed reviews and ratings for current (and past) films.  Please visit our Favorite Resources page for links to these sites.

- Maria File