I must confess. My family of college graduates and middle
schoolers does not always reflect the domestic church. In teaching my kids to
think for themselves, I often wonder if I could have raised them to be a little
more obedient.
Yesterday after lunch, my kids were
about to scatter when I required them to all come back and sit down. My youngest quipped, “Mom’s gonna make us all
tell something we’re thankful for.” A
fair round of laughter followed. So, I
changed it up on them. “I’d like us all
to share one thing we are sorry for. Then, when we’re all done, we’ll pray an Act of Contrition.”
What followed was beautiful. By the grace of God, we all had just the
right amounts of contrition and compassion.
We listened to each other (what, no interrupting?), prayed together
(what, no goofing off?), and felt just a little be restored.
Aristotle believed one must first
experience a disease before being able to cure it. Like you, I am learning day-by-day how to
parent faithfully during a quarantine. Thankfully, the church lifts up and supports the family by guiding us through shared religious experiences. The church helps us through stress
and uncertainty. The
warmth and structure of authoritative parenting foster confidence and social responsibility in our children. Families of faith fare better.
At Blessed Sacrament we are real
people, Real Presence. In our most recent bulletin, Father Benny reflects beautifully on motherhood and refers to
our Adoration Chapel as “the hallmark of Blessed Sacrament Parish.” Amen! Watch for new worship opportunities
when the church moves into Phase Two.
How wonderful it will be to rekindle
friendships. To get started, join our Parent
Connect community on Wednesday May 13 at 8 pm. Email me to register. Take the time to check in with one another
and take way faith-inspired ideas for thriving through quarantine. And, hear what we are working on for summer
and fall. We are Blessed Sacrament!
