Gospel Reading from Thursday Luke 11:14-23
"...anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering." Luke 11:17,21,23
Gospel Reading today Marke 12:28-34
"the most important commandment is this, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second most important one is to love your neighbor as you love yourself." Mark 12:29-31
I have had a hard time writing this week because I have been off my normal ritual of getting up at 5:30 to pray and write. My 19 month old has had me up for 1-2 hours a night, I have no idea why; therefore, I have been struggling to have a few moments of prayer in the mornings. I do, however, want to touch on yesterday's gospel reading. As mothers, we have to gather our flock and keep them together and not let our little sheep scatter. How do families scatter? I believe by each family member going in all different directions. I see it all too often, families split with different activites, grabbing dinner through the drive through line on their way to the next practice, parents dropping off their middle school child at the local town square to go and do who knows what with there friends.... Especially in today's world, we have to keep our families together and not be too scattered. This is when the little sheep tend to get "lost" and directed on a different path than what God has planned. We have to be aware of these scenerios before they begin to take place so we are ready and equipped to make the best decisions when they are presented to us. I am going to try my best to NOT do what society accepts....having a scattered family.
On today's gospel reading, Jesus talks about the greatest commandment. I meditated on this commandment in regards to motherhood. We love our children with all our HEART....by doing this we love Jesus with all of our heart. We are to give our heart and SOULS to our families....in doing this we are loving Jesus with all of our soul. We are to constantly be using our MINDS in caring for our children...not getting side-tracked to world standards but keeping focused on the task at hand. By doing this, we are loving Jesus with all of our MINDS. We are to give every ounce of our STRENGTH to our family. By doing this, we are loving Jesus with all of our STRENGTH. Are you falling into bed at night completely exhausted? This is proof of loving God with all of your strength. The daily tasks of motherhood should zap you by the end of the day. It actually feels good when you know you have given every ounce of strength to the Lord by loving and taking care of your family..His flock.
The second most important commandment is to "love thy neighbor as you love yourself". Giving our lives up for Jesus by caring and loving our families, we are loving our neighbor as we love ourself. We live in a very selfish society and too often mothers and fathers are loving themselves more than their children. They are putting their family on the back burner while they seek self-importance & self-indulgences. This is dangerous living when you have been given a family. This is only teaching our children to go against one of the greatest commandments. This is teaching them to love themselves more than their neighbor. This again is reassurance that laying down your life for your family is building God's Kingdom.
So today, huddle your family back in. If you are being scattered in all different directions, pull the reigns and gather your flock. There is no better place for your children, even if they are 13, than with your family. Buck the system and keep your children close. Also, as you are losing your mind as all of your children are crying at once, remind yourself that you are obeying God's greatest commandment....you are loving Jesus with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength through your loving and caring for your family. And you are "loving your neighbor as yourself" by caring for your family 24/7. Rest in knowing today you are living God's greatest commandment in your everyday life as a wife and mother.
Blessings to you this Friday!
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