Friday, May 21, 2010

OUR GREAT SHEPHERD....shepherding us in Motherhood

Gospel Reading today John 21:15-19
"He said to him, "Feed my lambs." John 21:15 "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." John 21:16 "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. John 21:17

Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep.... These are the words of Jesus to Simon Peter. Jesus is truly our Good Shepherd, constantly leading & helping us to tend His flock. As mothers, we have been given this great task of feeding his little lambs (our children), tending to His sheep (our families) and feeding His Sheep (our husband and community). These are the greatest tasks that lie before you, anything else, such as your hobbies or interests, are just a bonus. If we are tending to our families the best we can and then tending to our community with our faith and example, then we are truly living out God's Kingdom at hand. The other day when I had to be a tough love kind of mom and do some old fashioned discipline with my (almost) five year old son, I looked at him and told him how much I loved him and that my job is to make sure he is to do good and obey his mother and father. My job is out of complete love for him and I have to make sure that he follows the light. This is tending to God's flock. As hard as parenting is and how hard it is to block out all of the loud foolish advice we get from the world on how to discpline, we have to tend to these little lambs as best as we can. We have to go to the heart of the matter and trust our intuition on how to handle the situation. I heard on Catholic Talk radio the other day, that if we are in daily prayer, we will be guided on how to best discipline our children. Stop listening to the noisy world of books and others on how to best discipline your children. Instead listen to your soul and the little voice of our Good Shepherd. He will help guide your flock and help your family blossom into a beautiful flower. We have to remember we have our Lord Jesus guiding us and shepherding us everyday. We are not alone in this great task of mothering....all we have to do is call upon our Good Shepherd.

So today, remember that you have the help of the very one who formed your children in your womb. If he doesn't know what is best for your children, I don't know who will! Listen for His gentle voice. Let His hands guide your hands. Let His heart guide your heart. Then you will be at complete Peace of being the heart of the home and the hand which disciplines your child.

Blessings to you this Friday!

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