EASTER MONDAY!
Gospel Reading today Matthew 28: 8 - 15
So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Mathew 28:8
Happy Easter! Early yesterday morning when I went in haste to the backyard to hide the easter eggs that I so lovingly dyed at 12:00AM the night before, I looked up to the Heavens as the sky cast a beautiful pink glow. I took a deep breath to smell the fresh air and pictured the tomb empty. What a wonderful feeling Easter morning is......after the horrible agonzing pain of Jesus that we meditate on three days prior. To know it is OVER....it is finished...and He has risen.
The feeling of the combination of fear and joy....have you ever felt that? I can only imagine the overwhelming joy and fear that was felt when they saw the tomb empty. The fear we have before the Lord is a different fear.....a comforting fear. The thought of the tomb being empty is kind of scary in a good way. We are told over and over in scripture that fearing the Lord is a good thing...."blessed are those who fear the Lord...". To not get comfortable in our own skin is to fear the Lord. To not get settled in our ways but to look to the Heavens daily to guide us and care for us is fearing the Lord. To not give into the world's standards but to fall to your knees in desperation to help you be the best wife and mother you can be is fearing the Lord.
As mothers, we can not become complacent in our great task of raising souls for Eternity. The moment we get comfortable and complacent, darkness starts to set in. We leave the gate half open for access to Satan. Accepting the world's standards, making excuses, justifying our actions, are all ways we can become complacent. But fearing the Lord and always humbly asking for guidance each and every day will help you in shaping & molding souls for Eternity. Getting up extra early in the mornings to offer up your day to the Lord, as hard as it is, is being a fearful and joyful servant. When you pray, you unite with the Heavens. You are there at the empty tomb. You are walking next to Jesus. You are sitting next to the Angels and Saints. What happens when we pray, is that we start experiencing Heaven on earth. Our eyes are open to what is living for the things above and what is living for the things of the world. The purpose and meaning of your life becomes clearer. This is the exact reason why we mothers have to be in daily prayer so we will not become complacent. Our children's souls are at stake.
Ahhh, He has risen. We are saved. But Our work is not over. We have to do everything we can to make sure our children know the Lord, that they know the difference between dark and light, good and evil, right from wrong. We can't do this alone....we need Jesus, His Mother, and all the angels and saints. Become fearful and rise early. Unite yourself with Heaven through prayer. Offer prayers up at the sink, while you fold laundry, while you rock your baby, while you tie a shoe. All of these tasks in motherhood is form of prayer and together with offering prayers our minds will be united with Him. We will start to listen to His advice in raising our children....not the world's advice. Our hands and hearts will be guided in mothering our children. He will show us how to do what seems like the impossible in today's society....raise wholesome, fearful, joyful, chaste, loving, respectful children. But we can not accompish this by becoming complacent. Fear the Lord and be joyful in bucking the system of the World. As Father Corapi says.."If you are doing something that the world thinks is weird, than you are probably on the right track!"
Blessings to you this Easter Monday!
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