A Mom Just Like Me???
I was at a retreat on the weekend led by Fr. Thomas Rosica, and he spoke to us about the St. Gianna Beretta Molla. What an amazing day it was for me, and I'm not even sure I can begin to explain why.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla lived in Italy during the mid-twentieth century. She was a doctor, a wife, and a mother. Two months into her pregnancy with her fourth baby it was discovered that she had a tumor in her uterus. Her doctors suggested that she abort the child that she was carrying, but because she believed that the baby in her womb was indeed a person with full dignity, she chose to have surgery to remove the tumor only. She died a week after giving birth to her daughter Gianna Emmanuela.
I have known her story for a few years, so that part of it wasn't new to me this weekend. However, when I watched the home video clips of her with her children and her husband, and as I viewed the joy that radiated from her, I realized that if I were in the same situation, I'm not sure the choice would have come so naturally to me.
St. Gianna's family and friends have testified that she prepared herself for her heroic decision every day of her life. She lived in constant love of Jesus, and with a desire to please him first above all others. She wrote once to her husband, "I would rather die than commit a mortal sin". I could so easily say this, but do I live it??
If I were to come to the end of my life soon would I be confident that I have planted the seed of faith in my children deep enough that it will flourish and grow without my pruning and watering later on? Have I loved my husband well enough that he would fight to make my life and my story honoured?
We so often hear the stories of the saints and believe that they were different than we are. It's almost like we think they weren't faced with sin or temptation, but that's not true. They were faced with the same struggles, difficulties, hardships, and persecutions that we are, but they made the right choices in how they dealt with those struggles. All the time? Maybe not, but definately when it counted.
"Lord, keep Your grace in my heart. Live in me so that Your grace be mine. Make it that I may bear every day some flowers and new fruit". - St. Gianna Beretta Molla
I was at a retreat on the weekend led by Fr. Thomas Rosica, and he spoke to us about the St. Gianna Beretta Molla. What an amazing day it was for me, and I'm not even sure I can begin to explain why.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla lived in Italy during the mid-twentieth century. She was a doctor, a wife, and a mother. Two months into her pregnancy with her fourth baby it was discovered that she had a tumor in her uterus. Her doctors suggested that she abort the child that she was carrying, but because she believed that the baby in her womb was indeed a person with full dignity, she chose to have surgery to remove the tumor only. She died a week after giving birth to her daughter Gianna Emmanuela.
I have known her story for a few years, so that part of it wasn't new to me this weekend. However, when I watched the home video clips of her with her children and her husband, and as I viewed the joy that radiated from her, I realized that if I were in the same situation, I'm not sure the choice would have come so naturally to me.
St. Gianna's family and friends have testified that she prepared herself for her heroic decision every day of her life. She lived in constant love of Jesus, and with a desire to please him first above all others. She wrote once to her husband, "I would rather die than commit a mortal sin". I could so easily say this, but do I live it??
If I were to come to the end of my life soon would I be confident that I have planted the seed of faith in my children deep enough that it will flourish and grow without my pruning and watering later on? Have I loved my husband well enough that he would fight to make my life and my story honoured?
We so often hear the stories of the saints and believe that they were different than we are. It's almost like we think they weren't faced with sin or temptation, but that's not true. They were faced with the same struggles, difficulties, hardships, and persecutions that we are, but they made the right choices in how they dealt with those struggles. All the time? Maybe not, but definately when it counted.
"Lord, keep Your grace in my heart. Live in me so that Your grace be mine. Make it that I may bear every day some flowers and new fruit". - St. Gianna Beretta Molla
posted by Kate | 2:19 PM
3 Comments:
Where was this retreat? I'm a big Father Tom fan!
Familia Regina organized it, so it was at Resurrection Parish in Regina. SO good!
Katie - you were there?! Fr. Tom told me all about it when he got back and it sounded lovely.
I'm still an avid reader of the Katie Blog!! Entertain me!! (You know, among your million other things to do as mom and wife....)
Gillian
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