Come this fall, I will have been a parent for a decade. It’s hard to imagine, for a number of reasons, but my oldest will be ten this September. The last ten years have been a whirlwind of diapers, sleepless nights, ABCs and baseball games. Having four kids in seven years has kept me busy and focused on my domestic church. Everyday we all give in service to other members of the family, whether it’s grabbing a tissue, helping a younger sibling get a glass of water or simply waiting for mom to be done dealing with another sibling until she can pay attention to you. It’s true, my kids know what it means to be a family, to support others in your family and be supported by them in return.
In daily life, we have been working on many spiritual works of mercy: they’re quite good at admonishing the sinner when I lose my temper, instructing the ignorant when I forget a promise I made to them, and praying for the living and the dead at bedtime every night. However, we’re still working on bearing wrongs patiently and forgiving all injuries. But recently, as I approach a full decade of motherhood, the Holy Spirit has been nudging me to go farther. He has put it deeply on my heart that it is now time, at least for my oldest, to take ownership of his corporal works of mercy.
My oldest has seen me hand what cash I have out my window to someone in need on the side of the road. He has seen me approach families at the cemetery that are gathered in the infant section to ask about their little saint in Heaven. He has seen the pile of clothes I donate to shelters and pregnancy centers. But it hits me now that he has only seen this. And I can’t shake the feeling that as my little boy takes on more responsibility (heck he does his own laundry these days), he is now big enough to do it.
And surprisingly, this has been particularly spiritually trying for me. Where does one even begin to find out where a ten year old can feed the hungry or visit the sick or imprisoned. I don’t have the answers, but I have determined my next few steps and hope that these will guide my boy (and then his sisters and younger brother) into a love of service for others. My steps will be:
- Continue to pray on it and allow the Holy Spirit to guide me. And most importantly, let Him determine the schedule (I have a tendency to get on something and have to make it happen NOW, when sometimes it is better to wait to have it done right than quickly.)
- Continue to model service to others. This helps my kids build confidence in their actions when the time comes.
- Talk about it. Ask my kids how they’d like to serve others. Discuss why we serve others, and what it means to freely give without expecting anything in return.
- Reach out to those with knowledge. My local Pastor, my local branch of Catholic Charities and many, wise and giving friends are on my list to guide me!
This is yet another small adventure on the journey of motherhood, but it is one that is most important as the spiritual nurturers of our children. I pray that mine (and yours if you’re there with me) is fruitful, selfless and all for the glory of God.
