Blessed Marie-Azélie Guérin Martin
She was the mother of Saint Thérèse de Lisieux. She gave birth to nine children; the five daughters who survived their infancy all consecrated their lives entirely to Christ. Her canonized daughter still leads the Church in the contemplation of the face of Jesus and the sweetness of His love.
In my imagination, Bl. Marie is second only to the great Eliza Vaughan, a recent hero of mine.
I have recently been sternly instructed by my baby's priestly godfather that I am in no way to presssure to him or her about a religious vocation; I, in turn, solemnly promised that whenever tempted to do so, I will simply take the little one out for ice cream. Of course my husband and I have prayed for vocations for our children. On a very human level, there is probably no greater mark of inspired parenting than the succesful gifting of a child to the Church, and the Church is in great need of the vocations to priesthood and religious life which my husband and I did not receive. We were called to each other, and to the celebration of Christ's love in our little home, and as we prepare for the birth of our child, I will be adding to my prayers for my child's vocation (whatever it is) that I will simply do my part to surround him with God's own love, in every way, at every time, in every place. That is the making of a saint, after all- the formation of one who is made able to love in the way that he has been loved first.
... by the way, have you heard about the new film entitled "Babies: The Movie"? It looks wonderful... what a gift to our baby-suspicious culture. The producers echoed my thoughts here at their conclusion of the preview: "...parents, doing their best, in many different ways... so long as there is love, everything will be fine."
Blessed Marie, pray for us and for our babys' vocations.
In my imagination, Bl. Marie is second only to the great Eliza Vaughan, a recent hero of mine.
I have recently been sternly instructed by my baby's priestly godfather that I am in no way to presssure to him or her about a religious vocation; I, in turn, solemnly promised that whenever tempted to do so, I will simply take the little one out for ice cream. Of course my husband and I have prayed for vocations for our children. On a very human level, there is probably no greater mark of inspired parenting than the succesful gifting of a child to the Church, and the Church is in great need of the vocations to priesthood and religious life which my husband and I did not receive. We were called to each other, and to the celebration of Christ's love in our little home, and as we prepare for the birth of our child, I will be adding to my prayers for my child's vocation (whatever it is) that I will simply do my part to surround him with God's own love, in every way, at every time, in every place. That is the making of a saint, after all- the formation of one who is made able to love in the way that he has been loved first.
... by the way, have you heard about the new film entitled "Babies: The Movie"? It looks wonderful... what a gift to our baby-suspicious culture. The producers echoed my thoughts here at their conclusion of the preview: "...parents, doing their best, in many different ways... so long as there is love, everything will be fine."
Blessed Marie, pray for us and for our babys' vocations.
posted by MM at 9:09 AM
<< Home