Article on CatholicStand

The Home is Symbolic

Julie Machado • April 9, AD2015 • 0 Comments

What is the difference between a home and a hotel? Or a dormitory? If you were to come home to a clean house (cleaned by a maid) and had food to eat (store-bought), would it really make any difference who did those things? What if it wasn’t your home, but an actual hotel or if you were renting a room?



Keep Reading at: http://www.catholicstand.com/home-symbolic/

Easter Picnic

We had a birthday picnic for our baby on Easter Sunday because she turned... one, sniff, sniff hooray. I really shouldn't complain, I always end up liking each new phase better than the last. Now she is walking and having endless conversations in baby talk and it's so adorable that I can't imagine why I wanted to freeze time when she was five months old and so boring (or so I think now). But I still want to freeze time.

The picnic was great. Even though I forgot the frosting at home and everyone had to eat frosting-less cake and cupcakes, it was chilly and windy and I'm a terrible mother and forgot a jacket for Addie, and I didn't have a photo album of her first year as I had imagined in my head it would be great to have... there are more important things than the details I stress out about. And luckily she didn't catch a cold. She had lots of fun socializing with other little kids and we had a great time talking to family and friends in the fresh air of one of Lisbon's best parks. I am becoming more and more a fan of picnics.

Article on loneliness

No One Should Have to Feel Lonely

No one should have to feel lonely. Maybe no one should also have to feel sad, hungry, or hurt, but I suppose this is our fallen nature and our fallen world. Loneliness is a prominent theme of Holy Week, where Jesus ultimately has to face the cross alone: lonely, abandoned by His friends, and in great suffering.


Keep Reading at: http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2015/04/04/no-one-should-have-to-feel-lonely/

The joy of the Risen Jesus

A very blessed Easter Triduum to you and yours.

"I pray that nothing may ever fill you with pain and sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Risen Jesus."
Mother Teresa, p. 326 of Come, Be My Light)

New evangelization and fathers

This is a little late for a reflection on Father's day (which was on St. Joseph's day here in Portugal), but I have been thinking a lot about fathers in the last few months. I was fascinated by the statistic that a family is far more likely to become Christian if the father does, and not if the mother or child does:
http://dads.org/articles/new-evangelization-needs-focus-fathers/

It makes sense to me that new evangelization should focus on fathers and the formation of Christian men. And fathers are sooooo important in the lives of their children (statistics here and here). Men need other men to model manhood for them, to be peers and to be friends to open up to. And of course the man (John 19:5) to be the ultimate model.

However, I think men also need good women to be good men. Women are much more powerful than they think, especially in these "hidden", "back office", influential ways. I've heard that the most vulnerable time in a person's life is when they're dating, when they are most likely to change. How important it is for young women to be virtuous, know what they want and "guide"... patiently... young men during dating? Priceless. I really think it's the woman that calls the shots during dating.

And during marriage I think things change a bit. But my husband's happiness and holiness is directly related to mine. And back to fatherhood... for a man to be able to be a good father I definitely think he needs a good mother. Which means a mother who doesn't become possessive or needy with her children and lets the father have as active a role as possible. A mother who doesn't put the kids above her husband and doesn't create unnecessary jealousy. A mother who models love and affection towards the father, and lets the children know who the couple really is.

I am really thankful to have a very sweet father who loves me, here on earth... and in heaven too of course. And I am really thankful to have a husband who is an excellent father. I want to really make an effort to "set up" occasions for their bonding and relationship, and be more of a "back office" mother. I think that will make me a better mother.