Its not easy being a mom.

Its not easy being a Mom, by the time Saturday gets here I am spent. By the end of the day on Saturday I am just plain mean.  Thank God for Mass on Sunday morning.  Just when I think I can't take anymore I have Mass to rejuvinate me and bring me back to where I need to be. I know a lot of people think Mass is boring or that the Catholic Church is out of touch but what I say to those people is- Go Back to Mass! There are some cool things going on in the Catholic Church.  Mass is changing, leadership is changing but the message is still there. The message is relevant. If you want to know God better, if you want to understand your life more-Go Back to Mass.

For me, it makes being a Mom much much easier.

Todays GR

Matthew 6: 24 - 34
24	"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25	"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26	Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27	And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
28	And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
29	yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30	But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
31	Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
32	For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33	But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.
34	"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

I see men but they look like trees walking

Mark 8: 22 - 26
22	And they came to Beth-sa'ida. And some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him.
23	And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"
24	And he looked up and said, "I see men; but they look like trees, walking."
25	Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and saw everything clearly.
26	And he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village."

Sermon on the Mount

I wanted to reflect on the Sermon on the Mount since Sunday but am just now getting to it. We had the beatitudes read as the Gospel at our wedding and I think it fitting that 5 years later during the Church's national recognition of marriage we would be in the midst of the Sermon on the Mount.

We were watching a movie last night I think it was called "Enchanted" but I'm not sure.  Anyway one of the character says "A successful marriage is one that doesn't end, it doesn't mean the parties are happy". I laughed outside when I heard this.  What a funny concept to think that marriage is just successful because it doesn't end, like it ending is an option.  I think this really plays into what Jesus was saying in His teachings.  No only about marriage but about the 10 commandments.  Jesus tells us that it isn't enough to follow His commandments but rather that they are a starting point.  In order to get inter the Kingdom of heaven.

I want to adapt this sermon to my own life. I want to teach my boys to love beyond God's Commandments. I want to teach my boys to serve beyond God's commandments.

Go tell John, I heard the Sermon on the Mount and I've opened my heart to the Word of God.

Todays Gospel Reading

Mark 8: 14 - 21
14	Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
15	And he cautioned them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
16	And they discussed it with one another, saying, "We have no bread."
17	And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
18	Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?
19	When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve."
20	"And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" And they said to him, "Seven."
21	And he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

Sheep without a Shepherd

Sometimes I feel like a sheep without a shepherd. I think if only God would just tell me what I should do, or someone could just teach me what decisions to make.  Then  I think of St. Faustina and St. Therese and I realize that I need to give God more credit. Turn off my brain and open up my heart. Listen to the lessons being taught to me.

Father Jim said something brilliant to me yesterday. "You will find your way, one door closed leads you to another door open" he said the AoA is a great example of this.  Now I just need to find which door is the open one.

I did spend a great night with my boys yesterday. We went to St. Marys choir concert.  Nicholas and Jack loved the songs and even sang along. The Children's Choir was so cute. Nicholas said his favorite part was going through the Arby's drive through, oh the little things in life.

Todays Gospel

Mark 6: 30 - 34
30	The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
31	And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
32	And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.
33	Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them.
34	As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Today's Gospel

Luke 2: 22 - 40
22	And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23	(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")
24	and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
25	Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26	And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27	And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,
28	he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29	"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;
30	for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
31	which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32	a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."
33	And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him;
34	and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against
35	(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."
36	And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phan'u-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity,
37	and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
38	And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39	And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40	And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Todays GR

Mark 5: 21 - 43
21	And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him; and he was beside the sea.
22	Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja'irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,
23	and besought him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."
24	And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.
25	And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,
26	and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.
27	She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.
28	For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well."
29	And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30	And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?"
31	And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, `Who touched me?'"
32	And he looked around to see who had done it.
33	But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.
34	And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
35	While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"
36	But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
37	And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.
38	When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly.
39	And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."
40	And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
41	Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."
42	And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.
43	And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.