black and white wheelchair race

Thriving not just Surviving

By Sister Jeannine Marie, O.C.D.

The month of April in our theme of “Family, Created for Love” brings us to the time of adulthood. We have moved from the miracle of birth to the new beginnings of infants and from the wonder of toddlers through the struggles of adolescence. We have arrived! Or have we?

We have settled in, our careers are set and now what? It is often the case that we can fall into a routine. Days can turn to weeks and weeks to years before we know it. The challenge is to not to just survive but to thrive! The Second Promise of the Sacred Heart may offer us a clue: “I will establish peace in their families.” Our Lord shows us the goal and assures us that He will accomplish it but what is our part?

Routine can be the enemy of spontaneity, wonder, and joy. These are all needed if we wish to cultivate peace in our families. The key to refocusing our energy to the “thrive” gear is gratitude. A grateful heart is open, free, and creative. The “same ol’, same ol’” can take on a new vigor. So this month, let’s be open to all the newness, wonder, and beauty that is before us. Let’s find new ways to do “old” things. Let’s really thrive!

Apr 3, 2019 | Blogs, Family Spirit, Featured, Our Faith, Reflections

Related Posts

The Happy Fault

The Happy Fault

God could have created a perfect world. He could have arranged things so as to prevent us from falling into the pit by our sinful, despicable actions. He’s all powerful, after all. This would have been so easy for God. But that’s not how He decided to do things. He decided to preserve our free will, to solicit our love and obedience, risking not receiving the honor and regard due to Him. We fall many times, we fall again and again. In fact, it could be called an eternal let-down by us, the creature, in reference to the Creator.

Merciful Like the Father

Merciful Like the Father

One of the most liberating gifts that we can receive from the Heart of our Heavenly Father and Jesus, our Savior, is the free gift of mercy. But do you sometimes find yourself struggling to receive this gift? I mean really receive, in the innermost depth of your being with unshakable certainty?

Our Merciful Mother

Our Merciful Mother

In the Anáhuac Valley of Mexico, on a barren hill called Tepeyac, Our Lady of Guadalupe came as a “merciful Mother,” a healer and restorer of all who are broken in body and in spirit. It is an amazing thought to consider that the “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars” would place her feet upon the bloodstained soil of a nation’s festering woundedness.