![Daily Mass Day 2 & True Love]()
by Catherine | Apr 10, 2013 | Faith, Family
I took the kids to 8:15 Mass for the second day in a row this morning. The church was jam-packed, standing-room only, so I ended up sitting with the kids in some chairs in the narthex. I told them that they had to stay on the rug or in their chairs. We had a few blunders (for example, Walt tried running to the altar after we returned from Communion), but for the most part, it was a pretty grace-filled morning of prayer with the kiddos.
We brought a few board books, and each kid got to bring one stuffed animal. Everything else stayed at home. They didn’t miss the extra bells and whistles one bit, and their behavior was actually better today.
I know you’re not supposed to be whipping your phone out at Mass, but I couldn’t resist capturing the sweet little ones “reading” so quietly–at least for that moment. We’ll ignore that Janie’s hymnal is upside down…
Here’s to hoping that Day 3 of daily Mass tomorrow goes just as well!
After Mass, we made our weekly grocery trip run. Each time we go to the grocery store, I bring two Oreo cookies (Double-Stuffed, of course) in a baggie. I tell the kids that they may each have one in the check-out if they are good listeners and do a good job of waiting. Here are the kids post-Oreo a few weeks ago. Walt’s crazy hair and the crumbs all over his face are killing me!
The kids did a great job at the store today, so I distributed the cookies as the cashier rang up our groceries. Like always, Walt snarfed his down in seconds, and Jane took her sweet time. When Walt realized that his cookie was gone, he started crying. Without skipping a beat, Jane split her cookie in two, handed half to Walt, and said, “Here ya go, Walt. I share with you.” The cashier and I looked at each other in amazement. She said, “Wow, I don’t think I could share my Oreo with someone else! Now that is true love!” Yup. It sure is.
![We Did It! The Kids and I Made It Through Daily Mass Without Philip!]()
by Catherine | Apr 9, 2013 | Faith, Family
Yesterday, I asked for your prayers because I resolved to take the kids to daily Mass all by myself. This rainy morning, I took two toddlers and my burgeoning belly to 8:15 Mass, and we all lived to tell about it. Yay!
And you know what? It was great!
Like most things with parenting, anticipating the outing was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay worse than anything resembling the actual experience. I have a tendency to kinda sorta maybe obsess over upcoming events, play out all of the worst case scenarios in my head, and try to troubleshoot how to avoid disaster ahead of time.
I’d be lying if I said that the whole experience was perfect and that the kids were amazing little angels. As my awesome pediatrician would say, they were “developmentally appropriate” at Mass.
It turns out our parish has 8:15 Mass in the “Our Lady Chapel” and not the main Church most weekday mornings unless there is a big crowd. So, the kids had the excitement of a fairly unfamiliar space for Mass and the intimacy of probably 40 sweet faces huddled together in a smaller space. We spotted some of my mom friends and their youngest kiddos there, too. Knowing that they come on a regular basis and seeing them in action gave me courage to persevere.
On our way into the chapel, the kids were a little antsy, so we made a pit stop to grab each one a plastic Rosary to hold during Mass. This was a great idea until Walt tried flinging his around like numchucks and nearly swatted a parish employee on the back of the head. Oh, and Jane may or may not have dropped hers on several occasions, and I may or may not have felt myself unknowingly step on the beads and (gasp!) the Crucifix. Sorry, Jesus! Note to self: Perhaps the Rosaries are better saved for family prayer time around the dinner table.
By and large, from what I could tell, the 8:15 daily Mass crowd was made up mostly of elderly men and women, homeschooling families, and a few of us mamas with kiddos preschool age and younger. So, for the most part, Mass was a lot quieter than our typical Sunday morning crowd. Also, there was no music. So, when curious 23-month-old Walt with his 98% noggin took in his surroundings and asked every other second, “Whaz DAT?!” while pointing his pudgy fingers around, I’m sure he was pretty distracting.
Jane was feeling cuddly today and wanted to sit on my lap. Walt, on the other hand, was feeling adventurous and wanted to do laps around the chapel. Remember how I wrote yesterday about being afraid that Walt might make a beeline for the altar during the consecration? Well, that didn’t happen, but Walt did do something else.
When it came time for the “Our Father,” I think I was trying to pick up one of the rosaries, tell Janie I couldn’t hold her, and return a missalette to the chair back in front of us. Walt knew this was his chance to make a run for it. Before I could grab him, he was laughing and making a beeline for our parish priest (who happens to be named Fr. Walter). Walt ran the full 8 feet from our row to the front of the chapel alongside Fr. Walter before I could grab him. God bless all of the Mass goers who smiled at us as we made our way back to our seat.
The rest of Mass had no major hiccups. Walt tried to shake the hands of everyone (at least twice) within reach during the Sign of Peace. Receiving Communion on the tongue with Walt on my hip and holding Jane’s hand went smoothly. Just when I thought the kids were reaching their breaking point and I was turning into a hot mess from the humidity, hormones, and constant wrangling with Walt, I heard the words, “The Mass has ended,” from Fr. Walter. I thought, “Wow! We did it! We did it! We came to daily Mass by ourselves, and no huge disasters happened. Hooray!”
I spoke with my sweet mom friends afterward in the narthex. They were so supportive and encouraging. One even said that she didn’t know that we were there until she saw me retrieve Walt behind the altar. So, uh, that’s something, right?!
Since today went pretty well and I loved everything about how the day started, I’m planning on going again tomorrow. It turns out that tomorrow is the kindergarten through fourth grade Mass, so we’ll be in the main Church along with a bunch of the grade school kiddos. I’ll be anxious to see how that goes compared with Mass in the smaller chapel.
A few notes for tomorrow:
- Read the daily readings before you leave the house like you did this morning. Otherwise, you might not have heard all of them!
- No more rosaries at Mass for the kids.
- No more small figurines. (Today, Jane had a Disney princess, and Walt had a Thomas the Train.) Only one stuffed animal for Walt and two or three faith-related board books.
- Dress in layers so that you can remove them as you turn into a hot mess.
Thank you so much for all of your encouragement and prayers! I’ll admit that I was still a tad nervous this morning, but I ended up being more excited than nervous as we got ready for the day. I loved getting our day going and starting the day with the kids (and our friends!) at Mass.
Going to Mass set the tone for the rest of our day, and I know it made a difference. It feels like God was able to multiply my time and help me to accomplish more, I was more patient with the kids, I felt myself being more positive than usual, the kids played together great, and they didn’t request television like they usually do because they were content playing by themselves.
This mama can get used to that kind of a day! Now, I know Mass won’t always go great, and our days won’t always run smoothly, but you sure can’t beat starting your day in prayer, receiving Christ at Mass, and praying with your children. I like this daily Mass stuff. I hope it sticks.
![Prayer Request: Daily Mass With the Kids]()
by Catherine | Apr 8, 2013 | Faith, Family
After hemming and hawing over wanting to take the kids to daily Mass but being too afraid to try it solo, I’ve finally decided that we’re actually going to do it. Tomorrow. 8:15. Get ready, daily Mass goers! My crew is invading tomorrow!
I’m equally excited and nervous about this adventure. Well…maybe…actually…definitely, I’m more nervous than anything.
I’m excited because:
- What’s not to love about starting your day receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ in the celebration of Mass?
- I have visions of the kids sitting like perfect angels at Sunday Mass because of the added “practice” at daily Mass. (I hear you chuckling, Reader.)
I’m nervous because:
- I’m 21 weeks pregnant and going to Mass solo with a 3- and 2-year-old.
- There are fewer people at daily Mass, and any noises the kiddos make will be amplified.
- What do I do when I go to receive Communion? Should I sit in the front pew and leave them? Do I leave Jane and bring Walt? Balance Walt on my hip, hold Jane by the hand, and pray that Walt doesn’t try to swipe the Eucharist as I wait for the priest to place it on my tongue? Maybe I’ll disqualify myself from Communion with thoughts about my misbehaving kids so it will be a non-issue.
- Did I mention I’m going solo and Philip won’t be there?
Nonetheless, we’re going. I’m writing about it on my blog so that we’ll actually follow through and do it. We’re going, and I’m going to pray that it’s not a complete disaster. Can you please pray for us? Can you pray that my kids’ guardian angels prevent them from recreating a scene from “The Exorcist” at daily Mass? Can you pray that the others in attendance take pity on me if someone (probably me) has a breakdown? Can you pray that they think something like, “Oh, that poor dear. At least she’s trying,” and not something like, “I pray that they’ll never return!” Can you pray that we’re seated next a sweet old grandma that thinks my kids’ “participation” at Mass is a sign that the Church is alive and well?
Maybe…just maybe I should ask you pray that I stop worrying about what the other Mass goers are thinking, realize that they probably aren’t paying attention to us (unless, of course, Walt makes a beeline for the altar during the consecration), and that I just focus on what’s actually happening at Mass. Yup, that’s what I’m going to ask you to pray for. Pray that we actually show up and that my kids get to experience daily Mass. Mostly pray for that.
Thank you! I’ll report back tomorrow. I better go and start praying.
by Catherine | Mar 29, 2013 | Faith
You know how there are way more people in attendance at Mass on Christmas and Easter? Apparently people who attend Mass exclusively on Christmas and Easter have a lot of nicknames: the C&E (Christmas & Easter) crowd, Chreasters, the Poinsettia/Lily Crowd, etc. Us awesome regular Sunday Mass attendees have the temptation to feel all high and mighty when encountering the C&E crowd this Sunday. What are they doing?! I mean, really. Just look at them.
If you’re feeling the temptation to get all high and mighty this Sunday at Mass, one of my favorite bloggers on the National Catholic Register, Simcha Fisher, has an article for you: “The C&E Crowd: How to Deal.” You have to read the entire thing. Really! Read it! Read it now! Not only is it hilarious, but it cuts to the hard truth of what anyone tempted to look down on the C&E crowd needs to hear. Are you ready for it? Here’s the hard truth:
“…we need Easter because we’re crappy people who get mad at other people even during Mass.”
Yikes. I. Am. A. Crappy. Person.
In typical Simcha fashion, she made me laugh my way through the article. Then, I came to that line, and I wanted to cry. What is wrong with us?! What kind of a crappy person gets mad at people even during Mass?
Me, that’s who! I know I’ve grumbled to myself (and, after Mass, to whoever is in the car with me on our way out of the parking lot) about the irreverence and general lackadaisical attitude of the C&E crowd. How dare they take my well-deserved spot in a seat?! Where have they been every other Sunday?
Well…they’ve probably been avoiding me and every other Snooty McSnooterson parishoner that grumbles about the crowd. You know what’s a terrifying thought? Regardless of why the C&E individual seated next to me is there, I need to consider: Might mine be the only hand they shake during the Sign of Peace? Will they remember my face as their reason for not returning to Mass?
You know what I should be thinking? I should be keeping my focus on the Mass. I should be asking God to forgive me for all of the times that I’ve messed up big-time and He could and should have looked at me with the same stink-eye I’m giving my neighbor for saying, “And also with you.” Instead of asking myself, “Where’s that family been the other 50 Sundays of the year?!” I should be asking myself, “Is it possible that I’ve been the one keeping them away?” It’s really a shame if those of us that look like Judas to the C&E crowd are the reason they are staying away from Jesus. There’s no need for them to leave Christ because of Judas! Nonetheless, it happens.
We will likely encounter all kinds of distractions that will do their best to keep our focus from where it should be. That’s the time for us to do some serious prayer and contemplation on how we can keep the C&E crowd coming each week and what kind of a message our lives outside the walls of church send the world. Scary, huh?
If that’s not powerful enough, just look at Him. On the cross. Look at what we did to Him, and He is God. Was He talking about the C&E crowd or me when he said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”? And even though I’m being a crappy person, He still died on that cross for me. Shape up, Snooty McSnooterson. God loves me in spite of myself, and He loves the C&E crowd, too.
The joke’s on all of us Snooty McSnootersons and not the C&E crowd. Just like a mother disciplining her tween in front of her toddler, God will tell me, “You should know better.” And I should–precisely because I’m not in the C&E crowd. I’ve been there the other 50 Sundays of the year, and I’m the one who still doesn’t get it.
![Easter Craft/Activity: Paschal Mystery Eggs]()
by Catherine | Mar 27, 2013 | Faith, Family
Happy Holy Week!
I wish I could say that I came up with this fun (and easy!) Easter craft/activity all by myself, but I stole it from a few different sources. My go-to faith-related craft site is Catholic Icing. If you’ve never visited before, do yourself a favor, and check it out! It has all kinds of fun ways to celebrate the liturgical calendar with your family.
Catholic Icing had a great link on how to make “Resurrection Eggs” with various other links to other bloggers that have done the same craft. Between Catholic Icing and a really straightforward explanation from Our Sunday Visitor with corresponding verses, I came up with my own version.
Instead of calling them “Resurrection Eggs,” I decided to call our set “Paschal Mystery Eggs” because they help us to remember the Last Supper, Christ’s death, and His resurrection. (Again, I wish I could say I came up with that all by myself, I but I stole that from blogger Gae.) Maybe next year I’ll get around to decorating our egg carton like the other fancy bloggers, but I’m trying to remember that the goal is to enhance our liturgical celebrations rather than detract from family time. So, here’s our plain carton with the eggs inside.
To make your own “Paschal Mystery Eggs,” you will need:
1. Empty egg carton
2. 12 plastic eggs
3. The following 11 items to place inside of your eggs:
- Palm (cut-up fake leaf from old centerpiece for Christ’s entrance into Jersualem)
- Coin (3 dimes to represent Judas’ betrayal with 30 pieces of silver)
- Feather (representing the rooster and Peter’s denial of Christ)
- Towel (small piece of terrycloth from a rag from Jesus washing the disciples’ feet)
- Bread (mini saltine cracker to represent the Last Supper)
- Crown With Thorns (small twig with thistles to represent the Passion)
- Cross (I had a small wooden cross from an old retreat. Others recommend using a crucifix from broken rosaries. Most of us have one if we have small children! Of course, this represents Christ’s crucifixion.)
- Sword (I used a cocktail toothpick sword, but a regular toothpick will work perfectly to represent the Centurion piercing Christ’s side with his sword.)
- Dice (Representing throwing lots for Jesus’ clothing.)
- Spices (I placed dried spices in a sandwich bag, wrapped a rubber band around them, and cut off the excess. This represents the burial of Jesus.)
- Stone (Any small pebble from outside will do. This also represents Jesus’ burial.)
These are just the 11 objects I chose. Other sites and bloggers have a plenitude of other ideas to choose from! If you’re wondering why I only used 11 objects to fill the eggs, the last egg remains empty to signify that Christ left the tomb empty upon His Resurrection.
If you like the objects I chose, please feel free to use the document I created with the corresponding verses to explain how each item fits into the Paschal Mystery.
After you have assembled your eggs, the idea is that you will open one a day, discuss how the object inside relates to the Paschal Mystery, and read a corresponding verse from Sacred Scripture.
If your children are like mine, they will want to open, reopen, and move around all of the items. To save yourself a little sanity when you go to reassemble them, I recommend writing the number, item, and corresponding verse on the outside of the eggs in permanent marker. I only wrote on the tops so that I don’t have to find the exact bottom for each. For example, I wrote:
#1
PALM
John 12:12-13
Hopefully next year we will open one egg each day (starting the Wednesday before Holy Week), but we got a late start this year since I made the Paschal Mystery Eggs this morning. So, we’re just enjoying opening them whenever we get a chance, discussing what the kids find inside, and reading the Scripture verses that go along with them. I stored the printed off Paschal Mystery Eggs doc in our ever-growing family prayer binder that stays on top of the fridge.
NOTE: The eggs contain small items that are choking hazards for small children. Please do not leave your children unattended with the eggs!
Have a blessed rest of your Holy Week!<
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![Pope Francis Made Me An Ignatian-Franciscan Hybrid Wannabe]()
by Catherine | Mar 16, 2013 | Faith
Since there’s a Jesuit university in town, I’ve always heard about the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. Reading and learning about the Spiritual Exercises has long been on my list of faith-related to-dos. Now that we have a Jesuit pope, I decided now is a perfect time to delve into Ignatian spirituality.
I probably won’t be reading too much of the Spiritual Exercises until I finish Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth: Part Two: Entrance Into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (a must-read, especially during Lent!). In the meantime, I’d like to make an itty bitty Ignatian baby step and adopt the practice of a Daily Examen.
According to IgnatianSpirituality.com,
The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience.
To get a jump-start on adopting this practice, read this fantastic primer on the Daily Examen with FAQ by Deacon Mike Bickerstaff of IntegratedCatholicLife.org. Deacon Bickerstaff provides a succinct explanation on the spiritual benefits of making a Daily Examen:
A necessary part of advancing in the spiritual life and forming a deeper relationship with God is to examine ourselves, praying that God will reveal to us our soul as He sees it. This act of self-examination is referred to as an examination of conscience or an examen.
We should make the examen a part of our daily prayer. When we do not – when we leave too much time between our examens – we are not able to remember the failings and the successes we have had. Without this clarity, it is difficult to either make a good confession or to take corrective action in our lives.
If you are not in the practice of making a daily examen, Lent (that is now) would be a good time to incorporate the practice into your daily prayer.
At the bottom of his article, Deacon Bickerstaff offers a possible format for your Daily Examen that sounds perfect for a little Ignatian baby like myself. Perhaps Philip and I can adopt this practice of inserting it into the Night Prayer of the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours.
I like this format because it would give Philip and I some structure to our evening prayer, readings from Sacred Scripture, time for individual reflection, and an opportunity to commend our spirits to the Holy Trinity. Sounds pretty solid to me! In addition to what Deacon Bickerstaff recommends, I found a detailed Examination of Conscience to read through as I make my Daily Examen.
I’m already blown away by Pope Francis’ seemingly singular focus on finding God’s will and being His instrument in his daily life. May we all strive to emulate this holy man’s docility, obedience, and service for love of God. I pray that I’ll become a little Ignatian-Franciscan hybrid like Pope Francis. By adopting the Daily Examen into my prayer life and pondering the words of the Prayer of St. Francis, I hope to emulate the Holy Father’s example.
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong,
I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to
comfort than to be comforted;
to understand, than to be understood;
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
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| Pope Francis in Prayer |
Do you make a Daily Examen? What format do you use? Can you share any tips or advice for this Ignatian-Franciscan hybrid wannabe?
