Eucharistic Motherhood: To Rest or Not to Rest

Friday, October 9, 2015

To Rest or Not to Rest

As the baby was wailing and five year old Annie was crying in time out, I wondered: "What has HAPPENED to these kids?"
Ron and I resolved the situations, and then handled a few more.
Then I announced: "I am open to homeschooling Annie, even next semester." That would mean pulling her out of kindergarten and keeping her at home after Christmas.
This is NOT what I wanted.
This year is my first ever sabbatical, a year off from homeschooling. I love homeschooling. But everyone needs a break sometimes.
Offering to end my sabbatical mid-way through was pretty huge for me. The sacrifice of Isaac, so to speak.
But I have to remember my priorities. That my children are well-behaved, well formed in their faith, and well educated are what matter most. A three month break for me is certainly more than most people ever get from their jobs!

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About Me

Born in Texas, raised in NYC, I earned my Ph.D. in philosophy and married a gorgeous theology student who rides a motorcycle and looks like James Dean. We now have six kids, are based in Irving near the University of Dallas where my husband teaches theology and where I sometimes teach philosophy. We currently live in the Castelli Romani, just outside of Rome, Italy. In addition to teaching some semesters and raising our 6 wonderful children, I am studying theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Passionate about the vocation of motherhood, I founded a Catholic mother's ministry, Mighty Is Her Call. Our retreats and blog can be explored here: https://mightyishercall.com.

My book, Motherhood: An Extraordinary Vocation was released August 2021.

What's Special about Motherhood?

Motherhood is patterned on the life of Christ, particularly the Eucharist, in a way that no other vocation is. Some mothers shed blood for their children in childbirth--just as Christ shed his blood for us, a gift we celebrate in the Eucharist. Some mothers nourish children with their own bodies--just as Christ nourishes us with his body in the Eucharist. Mothers give themselves up in countless ways for their children--just as Christ gave himself up for us: "This is my body, given up for you." Every aspect of our day, from feeding our children, to cleaning up their messes, to disciplining them, to listening attentively to them, to hugging them, to laughing with them, to cherishing them, reflects the ways Christ gives himself to us. Motherhood is a role fashioned in the image of Christ, more so than perhaps any other vocation. It is singularly close to and reflective of the Heart of Christ.