#MyMassTakeaway: Called to Love

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^Fawn and her exploding heart. ❤💣 . #mymasstakeaway – called to love! . I've been getting some major road signs in my vocation lately. A lot of things have been going on in our life, and they've been opening my eyes and redirecting me. . Our family is going to be moving away from our hometown soon. And while I'll miss all our family and friends, I feel like this is an opportunity to devote myself more to focusing on God, my husband, and my children. . I went on retreat/conference last weekend and came home with a renewed sense of my ministry being secondary and supplemental to my family life. . My confessor reminded me that my vocation is to love and MODEL loving. To teach others how to love. First of all with my husband and kids, but then the Church and the whole world. . Today at Mass, to put the icing on the cake, the readings drove home the message I've been hearing. They reinforced the call to love. Like Mother Theresa said: Jesus waiting to be loved. He's present in my family, just begging me to love Him more. . I'm called to love God first, above all things. And I'm called to live that love in my vocation. Then teach others to do the same. How will I answer that call today?

A post shared by Sara Estabrooks (@tojesussincerely) on May 6, 2018 at 2:56pm PDT

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#mymasstakeaway this week was that our Mass is pretty awesome. . . I've been MIA on here recently because I've been battling a cold…and by a cold, I mean 4 different illnesses in one week (I've seen the doctor three different times this week, all for different things). It's been one of those weeks. And since I'm still contagious, I wasn't able to go to Mass today. So instead, I watched it online, and while I'm grateful for the opportunity to do so…it's just not the same. I was struck today by the difference it between being at Mass versus just watching it. There's something about being in the church that makes Mass, well, Mass. And to me, that's the strongest argument for the True Presence. I may not always recognize it when He's there, but I certainly feel it when He's not. . . #sunday #sundayMass #Mass #Eucharist #love #catholic #catholicchurch #church #spokenbride #catholicsonline #bissisterhood #zeliecreates #amdg #gloriam #gloriammarketing #forhisgreaterglory

A post shared by Gloriam Marketing (@gloriammarketing) on May 6, 2018 at 8:12am PDT

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Our society has a skewed version of love, which places the individual’s feelings ahead of everyone else’s. Accordingly, we are encouraged at a young age, “If you don’t feel happy, then ditch the [person, activity, etc.].” We base so much on how we *feel* and what we feel. . . And yet, today, we are reminded of Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. For love. For love of us. He didn’t feel good during His Passion; He felt pain and sadness. And yet, He still picked up His cross – carried it, and died on it, for love. For love of us. . . No matter if we are called to religious life, consecrated life, or married life, we are called to love in our vocation. And, that requires sacrifice at times. It requires us to put aside our individual desires, wishes, and feelings – to focus on the desires, wishes, and feelings of another. There is a component of self-sacrifice which comes into play – no matter the life we are called to live. . . It’s borne out through the perseverance, dedication, and commitment to another person – or, persons. While we aren’t called to give our life for another (usually) in the same fashion Christ did for us, we are called to take cue from Him – and, allow our actions to be guided by His shining light and example. . . So, this week, join me in focusing on bringing a little more love to those around you – whether it’s biting your tongue instead of retorting, or keeping your composure through a sleep-deprived fog, making a nice meal for your family, or even simply holding a door for a stranger behind you. Bring the love to the forefront of your actions. You will be better for it – and, the world will be a little brighter, too. . . Ask Christ to guide you this week to bring love to everything you do – love for others, and love for Him. Pray for an increase in love/charity. . . #mysundaybest w/ @rosiehill425 #mymasstakeaway w/ @tojesussincerely #casual #casualstyle #iworejeanstochurch #love #charity #faith #catholicsonline #catholicsofinstagram #catholiclife #catholicmom #loveyourfamily #havepatience #sleepdeprived #lovedespiteexhaustion

A post shared by Anni Harry (@beautifulcamouflagedmess) on May 6, 2018 at 9:24am PDT

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Every time I hear John 15:13, I think of our children's birthparents. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." . . When I need a real life example of true, sacrificial love, I think about them. They entrusted their little one to us out of a great love, and that self-giving love continues to this day. Just sit and think about that tremendous love for a minute. It is a breathtaking love!!! . . Our kids' birthmothers have been on my mind a lot lately with Mother's Day coming up. I know it's a difficult day for them because they love and miss their little ones so much. Could you spare a prayer or two for them this week? So how did God speak to you at Mass this week? (It doesn't have to be through the readings!) Please share! #mymasstakeaway #everysacredsunday #alifefullofgrace #weloveourbirthmoms #adoptionislove #adoptionrocks #blessednyadoption #blessedbyourbirthmothers

A post shared by Jessica (@sweetlittleones) on May 6, 2018 at 10:47am PDT

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Mass with the family at St. Isidore’s next to the K-State campus. The church I began attending in 1982 with my Catholic boyfriend, and where I figured out that maybe I left God and not the other way around. And this Catholic faith wanted to call me back to the flock. The church where two years later I would stand with my soon-to-be husband as my sponsor to join the Catholic Church. Where we would enter classes to prepare for marriage. 💜Lots of memories each time I step into this space. I still love the energy of the young twenty-something voices and the contemporary music and collegiate choir. The church was overflowing into side rooms (so glad to see that “problem”). With college breaking for the summer after this week, the homily was all about what you take away from this little college town, whether as a graduate or student returning in August. How we need to remember to “remain in Christ” through the joy, love and friendship of a close knit community and family. It was lovely and poignant and felt a bit like “coming home” for me. Back where the spark began. 💜#mymasstakeaway #bedeeplyrooted #lovethewordtakeaway

A post shared by Julie Habiger (@sparksthroughstubble) on May 6, 2018 at 1:54pm PDT

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From today’s Gospel: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” ❤️ The readings at Mass were perfect for the end of our marriage retreat this weekend. God has chosen us! God has chosen you! Marriage is a sign of the love between Christ and His church – that’s us! ❤️ Our marriage – and yours – is a visual reminder of how much God loves us. He chose marriage to be the foundation of society, which is why it’s so important to put God first. Only then will we have the grace to love each other as Christ loves us and to “bear fruit that will remain.” ❤️ “Love one another as I love you.” #mymasstakeaway #faithandmarriage

A post shared by Jen & Logan (@surprisedbymarriage) on May 6, 2018 at 12:17pm PDT

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“Love one another as I have loved you.” Today’s Gospel reminds me of how much room I have to grow in loving others – especially my family – as God loves me. #mymasstakeaway When my children look at me, they should see a resemblance to the face of Christ. The way I treat them should remind them of the Heavenly Father’s love and care for them. The more I become like Jesus, the more my children benefit from effective, transformative parenting. But it’s not always easy to be so Christ-like as a parent. I remember one particularly trying day with my three-year-old. My patience was dwindling, and as the minutes passed, I’m certain that my struggle to maintain a peaceful demeanor was becoming more noticeable to him. In the midst of my frustration, I thought about how the Heavenly Father is so patient with me. I am often so slow-to-learn, so unlike the person He made me to be (and not to mention much more culpably so), and yet He never fails to be patient with me in the process of learning how to be my best self. I was reminded that this is how I’m called to love and parent my son, too. When sinfulness gets in the way of my parenting, I become painfully aware of my littleness in carrying out this magnificent task of mirroring Christ’s life and love to my children. That’s when I turn to some basic, yet powerful Christ-like parenting strategies to be reminded of the simple steps I need to take to be a better parent to the beautiful children God has lent to me. http://katiewarner.com/writing/3-christ-like-parenting-strategies.html

A post shared by Katie Warner (@katiewarnercatholic) on May 6, 2018 at 12:01pm PDT

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Love is always a choice. We are not slaves. We are not servants. We are women who choose to love precisely the way He chose to love us. Every exhausting, exhilarating day. Every tender, sleepless night. Every time we leave for work or stay at home or do what we do for the sake of our children. Love is not a feeling – it’s a choice. And it’s absolutely one worth making. #mysundaybest #mymasstakeaway

A post shared by Ginny Kochis •Not So Formulaic (@ginnykochis) on May 6, 2018 at 4:55pm PDT

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We are two days shy of celebrating three years of marriage, so love is definitely on my mind. There are so many things that jumped out at me during Mass today. . . “Love each other as I have loved you”. . . This man has taught me so much about what real love is. Sacrificial, unconditional love. . . Thank you, my dear husband, for teaching me about the Love of the Cross. #mymasstakeaway #MAYrriage #marriage #husbandandwife #love

A post shared by Mrs. Andy (@mrs.andy_) on May 6, 2018 at 8:34pm PDT

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See that teenager laughing in the background…. yep…. the pretty one who looks so happy. Well welcome to teenagerland… where every teenager changes on a dime. 😜😏😂 Parenting a teen has shown me how I was too comfortable in my current parenting. 🙉Everyone was happy….then we fell into the puberty pothole….😒😕😰 Like a pothole, you just didn't see it coming….🙈and now you are on the side of the road with two flat tires begging for mercy……well, maybe I know where my girls get the dramatics from. 🤦🏽‍♀️😕😂😏 • I remember all the same feelings " they don't get me"…" they are so frustrating!" • I am learning to lean into those moments when I parent. 🙌🏽Acknowledging frustrations…. I know they just want a voice, so I will listen. • #mymasstakeaway for today was a call to LOVE. ❤️ Not a call for justice or righteousness….but LOVE. • so I will meet her wherever she is with love and patience. I will pray for grace to push beyond my own frustrations and impatience. • I will open the slammed doors for better, private conversation. • I will ignore the eye rolls to avoid one more conflict…. • but mostly, I will constantly reassure her of her value and worth. 😍💋 #honestmotherhood #teengirls #catholicmom #momlife #faithblogger #parenting

A post shared by TAMMI*MCCARTHY (@chasingtimeanddrinkingwine) on May 6, 2018 at 9:01pm PDT