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This has been a strange Lent for me. I am usually so militant and disciplined. I can't remember the last Lent where I came to the end and felt like I had not accomplished any of my goals. Any of them! The resistance has been incredible, I kid you not! My will and self control have been stretched and tested beyond anything I have ever seen before.
I have been struggling with this. Feeling like a failure and a fraud. How can I blog about living a Catholic life and then have such a terrible Lent? To be honest, I considered abandoning this blog all together about half way through.
However, I see how this struggle has not only tested me but strengthened me as well as delivered a healthy dose of humility. The Battle may all ready be won, but the war for our souls rages on!
If you are feeling like you hoped to accomplish so much more this Lent, you are not alone!
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Palm Sunday....good heavens!! Little boys can make anything into weapons. The belt on dress pants is obviously there to hold said weapons. Is there a way to not allow anyone under the age of 7 to even touch a palm through the long Gospel? We will just leave it at that. A definite workout and warm up for the marathon week ahead.
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The next day, I went back up the church for Reconciliation Monday. I don't know how many diocese do this but it is amazing! The Monday before Christmas and Easter, all churches in the diocese are open from 4pm-9pm for confession. We often have 3-4 priests hearing confession at the same time in our parish.
It is such a precious experience. I am so thankful we made it!
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Tuesday of Holy Week is the rehearsal for Children's Stations of the Cross. It is my yearly penance no matter how my Lent is going.
I left very frustrated but wrapped in the love of Christ all the same. We have over 3,000 families in our parish (families not people--families!!!) and a preK-8 school. How many chidlren showed up to participate? SIX! SSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!! Oh, and two of them belong to me.
I am so very, very grateful for the ones who showed up and their excitement to walk the steps of Jesus. These are beautiful, beautiful children. However, I don't know what to do with this little project. Every year we have less and less children. We used to have to draw parts out of a hat to make it fair now we have one boy playing Pontius, Simon, and a roman guard. He volunteered to be Joseph of Aramethia but we ended up just cutting that part. Owen is incredible but I think three parts is the limit.
St Jude, patron of hopeless causes, please rescue this dying devotion!
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Wednesday of Holy Week I decided to catch up with some friends and family that I had not seen in awhile just as Jesus visited Mary and Martha on the Wednesday of the first Holy Week. Only day not at the parish but a marathon none the less.
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Today is Holy Thursday--I'm actually writing this the night before like a good blogger should. This is my favorite liturgical day of the year! Truly, I love the Holy Thursday liturgy so very, very much.
We had a field trip in the morning so we had to push our liturgical tea off until dinner. I pulled it off but had nearly forgotten about the pre-Mass fast. It was the fasted liturgical tea in history.
I am so thankful to have had Cowgirl's help in setting everything out because Little Lady was having a colicky episode and screamed for 2.5 hours straight. {If you would, please say a quick Hail Mary that we discover what is causing her colic and reflux. She is on medication, I am on a highly restricted diet, and both are helping but she is still having these episodes of screaming in pain from the acidic reflux that keep choking her. It is heartbreaking and exhausting for both of us.}
My tea was not picture perfect. My food was nothing fancy. In fact the only items that we "cooked" at all were the mashed potatoes and a quick soup I threw together of chicken broth, carrots, and gluten free pasta when I realized that our usual menu would not be enough food to be considered dinner.
I say this so that you know that I am just a mom, a sinner, a human just like you!
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Tomorrow is Good Friday, our Children's Stations are at noon. I am praying for the LORD to use our little crew of volunteers to touch the hearts of all who are there. It is a small act of service but done with great love!
If you missed my other posts this week, I am finally getting the talks up from the mother/daughter retreat. Considering hosting a mini-retreat this summer? I am working hard to get all the resources I can up to help you do just that. You can find the links for the talks below:
For a more polished look at my week, check out my latest article on Seton Magazine!
How has your week been going?
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