Wow – today I am in amazement of Catholic families, and parents who authentically live marriage and family life as a path to holiness.
I talked with a wonderful young Catholic mother a few days ago. She is a sponsor for one of the women who is in the RCIA process. I think that today, one of the hardest things about becoming Catholic, must be changing your mentality and lifestyle in the area of family planning. This is particularly hard given that there are plenty of Catholics out there who do not live this faithfully, which is a damaging counter-sign to those who are being initiated into the full life of the Church.
Thank God for the wonderful, faithful Catholic couples in our parish. We have one lady who gives a session each year to the catechumenate on how natural family planning is a way of holiness within marriage. Sometimes it is a Cross to bear, it undoubtedly involves much sacrifice, that, as an unmarried person I cannot fully comprehend. But it is powerful when a woman speaks about the truth of this Church teaching – not simply because it says it in the Catechism – but from her and her husband’s experience of living it, year after year. From the standpoint of experience, and perhaps also of struggle and suffering as well as joy, there is more chance that the candidates will hear this as something authentic and true.
It’s one thing to know this teaching as true, and another thing to put it into practice in your life, especially if your spouse is not hot on it. This is why the encouragement, honesty and witness of the sponsor is paramount. Hence the gratitude I felt when I chatted to one of our sponsors who is giving just this: prayer, encouragement, support, advice. I hope that a year of prayer, grace received in the liturgy, teaching, witness from others, and love from within the community will be enough for the people in initiation to put out into the deep and learn to trust God in this area of their life – that his plans for them are not plans of disaster, but for hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
I recently saw a friend and her husband at Mass with their children , including their 2 week-old 7th child. Dad cuddled new baby, while the 2 year old monopolised Mum.
We were lucky to have had friends with large families, and we gained confidence from them to have a large family.
I’m glad we did it, and I am glad that the above couple have taken their opportunity to cooperate with God and have a large family.
People say ‘it isn’t a numbers game’, but children can count and they love having lots of siblings, and also by enlarging the pack when the others bring friends home.
All the money in the world cannot buy the value of each child.
We have a few big families in our parish, and I am in awe at many of the mums who come to Mass each day – they are incredible! Such an amazing vocation and witness. Thanks for your comment!
A beautiful job of encouraging us Moms to continue to pray through every area of our children’s and then grandchildren’s lives, opening the floodgates of heaven upon their hearts and lives!
I have seen God’s power and blessing, deliverance and goodness as never before ever since I daily started praying over and for my own children! (Especially PRAYING GOD’S WORD, the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!) AND IT ENCOURAGES THEIR FAITH TO HEAR THE PRAYERS!
I myself was a prodigal child and had a committed Grandmother who faithfully prayed with her prayer groups; now my Mom, Dad, aunts and uncles, cousins, and I (and my husband) are all walking in joyful relationships with the LORD, as are my Dad and all 5 of my children (along with the rest of almost all her great-grandchildren children, so far)!
ONE PRAYING MOM/GRANDMOTHER WILL IMPACT THE ENTIRE FAMILY & GENERATIONS TO COME!
We can’t leave our children out there and expect God’s goodness to just happen upon them, GOD desires us to ask, seek & knock, that not only does He bless and keep them, but He blesses and transforms the “pray-er”.
I was especially encouraged as she brought out all the different areas of prayer, with daily and weekly focuses, not leaving out friends, schools and the rest of the generations that need our prayers for REVIVAL, because they need more than ever>>>the Power, Presence and Protection of our Almighty God!
And the section regarding prayer in agreement, in groups is especially encouraging when going through seasons of “waiting” in prayer! We are usually not the willing ones to have to wait, and not until we’ve been encouraged and prayed through our wait do we usually see how God was making the stage larger while we waited, drawing us and others deeper into Himself, and all around He receives more glory. There are times in some of our children’s lives it will imperative to have godly support and help from those who’ve been there and done that! If we’re keeping them in daily prayer, there will be alot less “911” prayers that need to go up, and alot more praises, as you read you will be encouraged to faithfully pray>>YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE In THE LIVES FOR WHICH YOU PRAY!! (Don’t forget future friends and spouses either!!)
Wonderful book, KEEP ON PRAYIN!!
TAMMY M PRICE/AUTHOR:
Alphabet Prayers: The Power of Praying Scripture into the Hearts You Love
40 Day Journey to the Heart of God
PRAYING GOD’S WORD for the WORLD-Lighting Pathways of Blessing!