THE HEAVY DUTY JOB OF
CHRISTIAN MOTHERING
Christian Mothering is a professional job
and the children are the proof of the pudding. We amateurs must try to stick
around these professionals and pick up a few tips from them. And who are
these professionals?
While reading the lives of Saints, I
discovered that they had MOTHERS. And some of these mothers had themselves
become great saints, reformers, founders and mystics. These are the
professionals.
Christian motherhood is something more than
just giving birth; it is building the Church, it is saving souls, it is
raising up saints. Why, it is the very work of Christ! This is what mothers
of saints do; and these mothers seem to have the most excitement, joy and
fun.
One common characteristic of mothers of
saints was how much THEY PRAYED for their children's salvation and spiritual
well-being. Only in heaven will you discover how much good prayer made for
your children has done.
For these mothers, character formation was
second only to religious instruction. And their activity was teaching the
children on helping the poor. Works of mercy was the main part of their
life.
To be a mother of a saint does not simply
mean leaving your children awake or asleep in bed at night or dressing up
simply or elegantly. They did all these things. It just goes deeper. Mothers
of saints loved God more than their children. That's why they loved their
children so much. As such, they are the superstars of man's existence.
Christian mothering is more difficult
today. So we need good teachers; and who else can be better than the mothers
of the saints?
When your son grabs his younger sister's
toy, how do you teach unselfishness? Will you tell your boy to return the
toy and apologize or will you encourage your girl to give up the toy?
Naturally, you only have one choice and this choice will teach one to be
generous while teaching the other to be selfish. Only by being spiritual can
you teach both to be unselfish.
Mothers of saints come from different
backgrounds; some from harsh parents, others from kind parents. Some from
rich, others from poor backgrounds. Some were only daughters, others from
large families. Their past seems to have no say in the making of a mother of
a saint.
To be the mother of a saint does not just
happen. You work hard for it. And the effect can be seen on the
husband, children and those around. Holy mothering, after all, is a mission
from God. Two hundred years of good Scottish kings was credited to the holy
mothering of St. Margaret of Scotland. An appreciative scribble found in
Zelie and Louie Martin's tomb reads: "Thank you dear parents for giving
us a Saint to look after us."
We hope to share with you the life of some
mothers of saints for your edification and imitation.
from Mothers of the Saints
(08-25-03)
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