I am back with more insights from what I am learning! Much research and prayer was put into this blog entry, and I hope it is a point of reflection for all you wonderful mothers out there as well- both spiritual and biological ones. It felt like being on a quest, as I searched for answers.
You see, there has been an unrealized time of transition for me, between simply being a spiritual mother to many souls, discerning out of the possibility of a religious vocation, choosing the vocation of marriage, and then adding my gained title of a nurturing, biological mother as well. It has been so amazing, striving to grasp that these littles ones are mine. Yes, in spite of high-risk pregnancies and prayerful petitions to God for their well-being while still in the womb, I found myself in this phase of transition. Not that I doubted; I am in awe, and at the same time realizing my place both in the heart of the Church and in my home. I found some excellent sources to assist me in finding it during this “quest.”
A great help I received was in the book Mother to Mother, Spiritual and Practical Wisdom from the Cloister to the Home by Mary Elizabeth Cuff, PhD, with different topics of from cloistered nuns (spiritual mothers) to moms (biological mothers). What a gift! On page 33 on the chapter “The Calling of Motherhood,” Sister Clare of the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth says “A mother doesn’t see herself as a servant or slave unless there is no love, and she is resentful of her life. When a woman is a mother who loves, even the most menial tasks (like changing diapers or running errands) are not below her dignity because it is her place in the family. We can see these tasks as opportunities to love or as degrading duties that must get done in the drudgery of the day; this is what makes a world of difference.” “… Sacrificial love is at the heart of spiritual motherhood, as it is in physical motherhood. The hidden sacrifices and deep sufferings a mother endures for her family are the most powerful examples of true and selfless love!” (pg. 35) To be ever present to my kids, and attentive to each task is all about love! Eureka! I can still be “love at the heart of the church” (as my dear St. Therese would say), by being a loving mother (and let’s not forget about being a loving wife to my husband too)! To express through every act of noticing this little person in front of me, and in the chores, that I care. I see you!
I am currently finding the vocation of a religious sister and that of a wife and mother to have different callings, but both are done with so much loving attention, however menial the task at hand may appear. God be praised for this realization, so I can be a better, renewed mother to my kids!
I hope to share in my next post about the restlessness I had with wanting to keep up a spirit of recollection, even amidst the sounds of a happily squealing toddler and a needy infant. So stay tuned!
