Humble Thoughts on the Family
It is Sweet

By Sia
Edited with Comments by Ressourcement

[Editor’s Comments: The following thoughts are those of Sia, my wife and mother to my two little boys—Aidan and Eli. Both of us being (irregular) contributors to Vox Nova, I have recently been discouraged by the one-sidedness of the Blog. Not necessarily with any particular political “bend” some feel that it has, but more with regard to the redundancy of its topics, its “headiness” and its inability to bring “Great Ideas” to the “door steps” of the Christian home. While our (particular) family life makes it difficult for us to contribute regularily, we hope that our specific interests, views and ideological bends (quite different from some of the other contributors here) can be offered on occassion…

It would be a terrible travesty for this Blog to be so “abstract” and “heady” that it never appeals to the “Average-Joseph’s” and “Mary’s” out there. It was of great concern to early 20th century Catholic thinkers, such as Hans Urs von Balthasar, that theology (predominately neo-Thomist at the time) was a “desert”—dry… barren… lacking in life and the ability to connect with modern concerns, modern minds and real people. It was this concern on the part of theologians such as von Balthasar—and the desire to do something about it—that (for its part) lead to the Second Vatican Council; the first Ecumenical “Pastoral Council”. All grand Social, Political and Cultural “Ideas” must, eventually, find their way to the real world—to the “door steps” of the Christian home, and from there it is proclaimed to the nations through the littleness of word and deed. There, such “Ideas” may be void of theological jargon, and may even be inaccurate on some nuanced point of doctrine. Yet, nonetheless, it is there—where grand schemes turn to mission—that the Church truly moves, and the human race is Saved. – JN (Ressourcement)]

We need to always remember that our homes—the “domestic church”—are little flames of Christ’s life on earth. We are called to be the “salt of the earth”… but are we? Let us not grow weary in our mission as Christian families!

Think of the monasteries in the Middle Ages; are they merely impractical and abstract, or can they serve as an analogy to our family life? These little homes of ours can become little sanctuaries of Love. My prayer is that my home, my family, will become an icon of God’s Love, reflecting the love He shares with Jesus and the Holy Spirit; reflecting the love of the Holy Family to the world.

We all have those bad days: when we are up to our necks in housework and out of patience with our little ones who can be trying at times. On our bad days, it is good to recall the work that so many others do with children—some families have to deal with Third-World poverty and diseases, while others live in war torn countries, like Iraq! Our work, in the relative comfort of America, is easy in comparison. Suck it up, just do the work! Deal with the messy diaper… deal with the stubborn child… It’s not that bad!

Something most encouraging to me in times of frustration with my children—mainly, with regard to my two year old, Aidan—is the fact that he loves me so much. This reality—that he loves me, watches me, looks up to me and depends on me for every single thing—is what saves me from too much impatience or lazy mothering on my selfish days. He loves me…adores me! Why? Because I am his mother! Simple, yet profound—and so incredibly inspiring! When I remember this, I usually give him a big hug and look into his eyes—this gives me the strength to press on with renewed mental, spiritual and heartfelt strength through my day.

Stop and smell the flowers! Mothering is delightful… parenting is delightful… it is sweet…

(Adapted from original post at Coffee and Diapers. Sia, “Ressourcement” and family reside Vancouver, WA. Sia’s interests are in the realm of the “practical”–living out the Catholic faith. In particular, she holds heart felt views with regard to mothering, education, agriculture and environmental concerns, and the day-to-day liturgical movement of a Contemporary American Catholic. Ressourcement’s interests are in theology, especially contemporary historical theology (mid 18th century to present), and the cultural and social impact of the Catholic faith in modern society)