Gospel Reading today: Luke 11:37-41
"Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are full of violence and evil. Fools! Did not God, who made the outside, also make the inside?" Luke:39-40
I think we are all probably guilty from time to time of having a facade covering the outside of what is really going on inside. How many of when asked how we are doing say "great!" when actually "great" is an all out joke? We are angry, sleep deprived, feeling ugly & unappreciated, and just plain sick of everything! Rarely does both feelings of looking great and feeling great coincide when mothering young children and when it does, we rejoice in a miracle for the moment! If we are rested, we might look great on the outside, but we might have not had a chance to make time for prayer. When we are tired from being up all night, our souls might be nourished from praying throughout the night while up with a little one or by lifting up our sleep deprevation as a form of prayer. We might have received abundant graces internally but our outward appearance sparkles of black circles under our eyes, dirty hair, and unshaven legs. God tells us today in the gospel that although our homes might be clean and our appearance close to perfect, if we do not take care of our "inside" that He masterfully put together, we are missing the boat. My personal opinion is that our world is full of Pharisees, me being one of them. We live in a world that appearance is everything. Nice house, car and clothes...styled hair, glossy lipstick and fine jewelry.....are what we are told we have to work for and live for. How many mothers are looking fabulous and "have the world in their hands" with an amazing career and lifestyle but are dying inside because all they want to do is be at home taking care of their children? Or how many mothers at home are dying inside because they think they have no self-worth raising their children and taking care of their family because they listen to the lies of the world? I see it all too many times mothers who experience the miracle of having a baby and bask in heaven's amazing presence by becoming a mother to that little soul. They are drawn naturally to be the sole care taker of that little one and almost feel panicked at the thought of going back to work and leaving their precious little one in the hands of someone else..something that is not natural. However, with time, the world takes hold of them and they start believing the lies and end up going back to work and letting someone else take care of the precious soul entrusted to them. They put on the facade and move forward while they are dying inside. While there is a choice for mothers who really don't have to work, there are the mothers who HAVE to leave their baby to go to work to help provide for their family. I am sure those mothers are dying inside because the work load of a full time job as well as caring for her family is overwhelming. God will bless them abundantly for the sacrifices they make for their family. God will give them the grace and peace that is needed to balance both. They are nothing short of heroic.
Jesus is clear in the gospel reading today that taking care of our inside soul is most important. We can't beam of joy for our Lord Jesus and our love for our families if we do not find time to be spiritually nourished. As mothers, we do not have much time on our hands to sit and "be" with our Lord. By offering up little prayers throughout the day, praying while up at night with your children, saying a prayer as we fold laundry or swing by the Blessed Sacrament for five minutes on your way to the grocery store will help nourish your soul. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta says that little acts of love and prayers turns into the most beautiful tapestry for Heaven(I don't have the quote in front of me but it is something to that effect...).
So today, make your first priority nourishment for your soul and then you will be able to nourish your family. You will be taking care of your "inside" and then your outside appearance is just a bonus. Some days as mothers we look fabulous and other days we look worn-out and very unfashionable. That just goes with the job. If we try working on our inside appearance first, our outward appearance will naturally glow and draw others to Christ....especially our husband and children. So forget the facade of the world and work on being true to your self by being true to Christ ....the one who created your beautiful soul.
Have a blessed Tuesday!
No comments:
Post a Comment