Angry This Week...

One Mother's Day I attended the Spanish language Mass.  Near the end of the Mass, all of the mothers were asked to come to the front where they were presented with long stemmed roses and the choir sang two songs that lauded mothers.

I stood there and I prayed for a hole to open up and swallow me, I have never been more embarrassed in my life.  Why?  Because I saw pure, unadulterated pain in many faces of the women who were NOT standing there.  I saw the agony of infertility, of those who long for marriage, of those who have lost children and did not feel they could be included.  I saw tears, I saw anger, I saw pain and it broke my heart.

Of course, I love my mother and my mother-in-law and all of the mothers in my life.  We should love and honor our mothers every day of our lives.

Yet, in my own circle of friends - both real life and online - the pain this week is palpable.  Mothers who have lost their children, mothers who have lost their spouse, recently divorced or separated or abandoned mothers, women who struggle with infertility, mothers who have secondary infertility, women who feel they have failed... there is so much pain and it does break my heart.

Spend this week in prayer for healing and comfort to all the women who are suffering this week.  Instead of coming to see me, I want my son to sit with his friend's mom who buried her son a few weeks ago.  Please, good Christians, open your hearts to hurting women this week.

2014

No list of resolutions, no fond memories of the past year, we are back at the start of the circle.  This year my prayer is for peace of heart & peace of mind for my friends and loved ones.

My mantra for this year, from St Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 (NABRE):

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that now at last you revived your concern for me. You were, of course, concerned about me but lacked an opportunity.

Not that I say this because of need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient.

I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.

I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.