4Real Forums: How can I be more Catholic?

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Topic: How can I be more Catholic?

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Helen
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Joined: Dec 03 2005
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Posts: 2826

Posted: July 24 2007 at 6:44pm \| IP Logged

Tina P. wrote:

For me, it's difficult to tell the Lord that something is just too difficult. Was it too difficult for Him to be tortured and *die* for me?

The most important part of Our Lord's great sacrifice was His willingness to do the Will of the Father.

"Not My Will
but Thine be done."

__________________
Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate

JennGM
Forum Moderator

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702

Posted: July 24 2007 at 7:05pm \| IP Logged

Helen wrote:

Tina P. wrote:

For me, it's difficult to tell the Lord that something is just too difficult. Was it too difficult for Him to be tortured and *die* for me?

The most important part of Our Lord's great sacrifice was His willingness to do the Will of the Father.

"Not My Will
but Thine be done."

Oh, thank you, Helen! So true.

__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to

& ds1

'03 & ds2

'07
Family in Feast and Feria

Sharon B.
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Joined: April 03 2007
Location: N/A
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Posts: 22

Posted: July 24 2007 at 7:30pm \| IP Logged

I started reading the blogs at the end of last year which lead me to this forum. The discussions and shared information on both settings lead me to add a new year's resolution to grow closer to the Blessed Mother. I have read some great books, recommended by Helen, and I definitely have to say that it has been a great growth experience. I don't know that it has made me "more Catholic", but my faith life has changed profoundly since the beginning of the year. I particularly liked My Ideal, Jesus Son of Mary.

Helen also suggested morning prayers for family prayer including a spiritual communion and renewed consecration to Mary. I myself have added these and they make for a better wake up jolt than a cup of coffee. It really starts your day "on the right foot". Helen has lots of wonderful posts and perusing her blog would be of great help to lead you on your quest. She has suggested lots of reading regarding the lives of the saints and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary utilizing the book, True Devotion to Mary. I believe there was a book discussion here as well regarding that book. Adding spiritual reading and foregoing TV has really improved my faith life.

St. Therese has been inspirational to me in new ways this year too. I have been devoted to her for more than 12 years. I remind myself during the day to imitate her little way of doing small things with great love. Even unbearable situations have the ability to turn into a prayer.

I agree with Cay, that when a parent gives so much of herself (in caring for a sick child) that she is being profoundly Catholic and really living out God's call for her life. I know lots of other mothers who "have a life" by leaving their children with other people so that they can go to concerts or shopping with friends, or what have you, rather than sacrificing those things when your call as a mother is more important. If only other parents could see the value in every little action or sacrifice, to make everything they do as wife/mother a little prayer, how much better the world would be!

Just my testimony.

Hope it helps.

__________________
Sharon, Wife and mom to ds, 16; ds, 15; dd, 8; and dd 6

denise3578
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Joined: June 30 2006
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Posts: 33

Posted: July 25 2007 at 5:06pm \| IP Logged

This is a quote from St. Frances de Sales, in his book "Thy Will Be Done" - it is from a letter he wrote in response to one he received:

"My dearest daugher, we must not be unjust and require from ourselves what is not in ourselves. When troubled in body and health, we must not exact from our souls anything more than acts of submission and acceptance of our suffering, and holy unions of our will to the good pleasure of God...As for exterior actions, we must manage and do them as well as we can, and be satisfied with doing them, even if without heart, languidly and heavily. "

I think that one of the bigger sacrifices of motherhood is the lack of ability to just "get up and go." Our schedule is not usually under our control, and we have to take all kinds of protesting little people with us. But the very act of accepting these limitations and offering them up is very pleasing to God- at least that's what I took from the St. Francis excerpt. And I know there is a scripture verse that says something to the effect of "I desire obedience, not sacrifice." I think we are being obedient to our vocation when we put the needs of our family before our own desires.

Just my two cents

Denise in VA

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