The Maternity of Consecrated Life
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As we are approaching the anniversary of the last apparition of Fatima, and the 'Miracle of the Sun' on October 13th, I find myself reflecting upon how much Our Blessed Mother loves us, and desires that we her children spend eternity in Heaven with her Beloved Son . By Our Lady's "Fiat," in complete humility and trust in the Lord she was lead to the foot of the Cross where Christ gave her to us as our 'Spiritual Mother.' As our 'Spiritual Mother' she is ever present to the needs of her children, and brings our prayers and intentions to Jesus through her Immaculate Heart.
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household. (John 19:26-27)
Religious Sisters are called to live in imitation of Mary's "Fiat" by their consecration, and the living of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and become 'Spiritual Mothers,' especially to the most neglected and spiritually abandoned children. It is imperative today, especially during this turbulent time of such upheaval in our society that consecrated religious women reach out to the children to protect and preserve their pure, little hearts.
As the most innocent in our society it is the children who are harmed by the culture, a culture that exists in a seemingly post-Christian world. The innocence of the pure in heart is threatened by a culture that aims to destroy the morals and values of which this country was founded upon; Christianity.
When I taught religious education to sixth graders when I was in religious life it broke my heart to see how many of the children questioned the existence of God, and rarely attended Sunday Mass. It is through the child that our Catholic faith can help to transform entire families. It is the innocence and purity of children that can help lead family members back Home to the Church.
Children need to be taught our faith at a young age in a way that becomes meaningful to them, and sets their hearts on fire with a flame that burns brightly with the Love of God. They need to know how much God Loves them; that they have a Father in Heaven Who cares very much about them, and that He gave His only Begotten Son to save us all from our sins because of how much He Loves us. Children need to know that there is nothing that they can do that will make the Father not Love them.
Many children, especially in inner cities, live in broken homes, in a single parent household, and go home to an empty house each day after school because their parent(s) have to work. They are in great need of a 'Spiritual Mother' to love them, nurture them, and teach them their faith so that they can grow up to become who God meant them to be in this world. Children need to be shown what love means, and consecrated women religious need to become 'Spiritual Mothers' to these children so that they learn how to love and to be loved by others. How can they give something that they do not have?
How can a little boy grow up to be a loving father or become a priest if he does not know how to love? How can a little girl become a mother or a consecrated woman if she never experienced love in her life? Vocations grow from the home, and it is the children who can bring faith into their home if they are really and truly taught the Catholic faith in an authentic way.
Spousal love – with its maternal potential hidden in the heart of the woman as a virginal bride – when joined to Christ, the Redeemer of each and every person, is predisposed to being open to each and every person. (Mulieris Dignitatem)
It was after teaching the sixth grade class that I taught first graders, and realized that something happened to the children between first and sixth grade. They started as innocent children with such curiosity and interest in our faith, and seemed to understand how much God Loves them, but then by sixth grade they appeared to have lost their faith, and forgotten the Love of God. How in only five years could there be such a drastic change in how they related to our faith and to God?
We have on fire and zealous Catechists, and we also need religious sisters who share that same spirit in teaching the Catholic faith. The children of today are in great and dire need of ‘Spiritual Mothers’.
Many young adult "Catholic" parents today are fallen away Catholics, and were poorly, catechized in the faith, so the Catholic faith is no longer being passed down to future generations from the grandparents. How many grandparents are not even being given Catholic funerals because their children simply do not understand and have no interest in the beautiful traditions that are necessary in our Catholic faith.
The faith is not being taught in the home, and the only way to protect these children from the evils of this world is to help them to keep their faith and to never forget the Love of God. Our faith is not simply a religion, but a relationship. When children are taught the ten commandments they need to be taught that we follow the law of the Lord because we love God. If we love our Heavenly Father Who has infinite Love for us then it is because of this love that we want to please the Father. Many children lack a father in their home, and it is difficult for them to understand how a father can love them, and so it is through the 'Spiritual Mother,' that they can be led to their Father in Heaven.
We need to pray that these little ones in our society; the most neglected and spiritually abandoned souls, keep their innocence and purity of heart. Consecrated women religious who authentically live out their vows can help these children to remain steadfast in their faith, and to have the strength and courage to rebel against the culture.
If they are taught what it means to be Loved by God, and have a deep and meaningful relationship with their Heavenly Father then during the difficult times in their lives they will turn to Him instead of the things of this world. They will not search for love in all of the wrong places because they will know that God is always with them, and that He will be waiting for them, and offer them only mercy and forgiveness.