Do you have a guiding scripture?

Bridget: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. LET not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27

Nicole: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks received, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks is will be opened." Matthew 7:7&8

Expectations VS Reality
-What we were planning prior to quarantine
-Does this look different now?

Mothering amidst a crisis and isolation
-Where have you struggled in this?
-Where are you beginning to flourish?

Questions for audience:
1. Where are you finding hope? What scripture or practice is helping you draw close to God?

2. What is the Lord refining in this season?

“In describing the arc of the conversation of Gabriel and Mary, the gospel of Luke perfectly describes the arc of the spiritual life: God initiates the conversation; we are initially hesitant and fearful; we seek to understand God's word in our life; God reminds us of our experience, and, free to choose, if we say yes to God, we are able to bring new life into the world.” - Fr James Martin

March 25
The divine entering the ordinary world

- What are your initial thoughts on the Annunciation?

- God is the one that begins the conversation. Do you allow God to begin the conversation in your life?

-What those things where God begins to move us? (Nature, babies, friendships) And are we surprised when this happens?

-Mary fully entered into her vocation as mother and follower of God. my vocation is not only the way that I love God, but also the way that God loves me. How is this present in your life?

-just as in many important scenes in scripture the angel Gabriel tells Mary to not be afraid. How do you overcome fear in order to say yes to God?

-In order for Mary to give her fiat she looks at where God has been present-what he has already done for her and Elizabeth. Have you had this experience of being able to trust God once you look at where he’s been present before?

- The last part is faith. The angel eventually leaves Mary and she carries on based on faith. Even though God is with us it can seem lonely.

Questions:
-What struck you about their story? These women were both mothers, like you and I, and they both made the decision to stick to their faith and be martyred instead of giving up their beliefs for their families. Although we don't have to be that drastic is there something we are clenching to instead of surrendering to the Lord's plan? How do you discern what is God's Plan for you?

-Looking at the friendships you have now how are they pulling you closer to God? How do you talk to your friends about hard things? How important is it in your life to have friends that can tell you the truth?

-If you were forever going to be linked to the relationships you have now would you be happy with the people you are surrounding yourself with now?

Questions:
• What are ways that you practice forgiveness?
• How forgiving are you to yourself?
• What are ways that we can cultivate having a more forgiving spirit?

"From dust you were created, to dust you will return"
-Do we live like we are dying?

What are your lenten plans? Do you have anything special you are going to try this lent that you haven't done before?

Resources:
Return of the Prodigal Son by Henry Nouwen
https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B00G8ELSM6&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_SUypEbNXHMASE


Memento Mori by Sr. Theresa Alethia Noble
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0819865176/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_8VypEbSNZPCZ7

Nicole: Mary Did You Know reflection

Bridget: Take up and Read, Rooted in Hope
(https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Hope-Elizabeth-Foss/dp/1978285558)

Every Sacred Sunday
(https://everysacredsunday.com)

The Nativity by Geri Melchers
(https://www.garimelchers.org/gari-melchers/bel-1606-2/)


1. How are you building joyful anticipation this season

2. What “fiat” yes does the Lord want from you?

3. What are you carrying over from Advent to Christmas?

4. How do you maintain stillness among merriment?

Inspirations:
•Nicole: Disney World was magical!
•Bridget: Hallow, a Catholic app to help with focusing on prayer!
https://hallow.app

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:
•What were your expectations before getting married about being a husband? What did that mean to you?
•Did you do anything to prepare yourself for becoming a husband?
•How has that perception changed (if at all)?
•What do you think it means to be a "good husband" And are the expectations different in the world than within a faithful Catholic, Christian marriage?
•Do you promise to be faithful to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and to honor her all the days of your life?
•Look at the short and simple vows...how have you seen this present in your marriage? What does it mean to be faithful, to be with her in good and bad? What about sickness (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual)? To love and honor? What is that?

Inspirations:
Nicole: Prayer rabbit holes, looking up words (humility) and then researching what the Bible says, what the catechism says etc. TJ Maxx Catholic jewelry

Bridget: Quiet mornings and being still

Reflection/Discussion Questions:

Question 1: What were your expectations before getting married about being a wife? What did that mean to you?
OR
What are your expectations being a wife if you aren't married?


Question 2: What do you think it means to be a "good wife." And are the expectations different in the world than within a faithful Catholic, Christian marriage?

Question 3:
Look at the short and simple vows...how have you seen this present in your marriage? What does it mean to be faithful, to be with him in good and bad? What about sickness (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual)? To love and honor? What is that?

Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and to honor him all the days of your life?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion

1. When we hear the word “suffering” what is felt? How do you respond?

2. What do you think is the purpose of your own personal suffering? (Also what does the Church say on this?)

3. What makes suffering easier to bear? Have you seen fruit in this life from your own or someone else’s suffering (other than Christ)?

Take the virtue of humility. Reflect upon it, What does it mean? What is the connection between humility and authenticity? What does Jesus mean when he says, “Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart”? If you have some good spiritual book, you might read what it says about the virtue of humility. Think of some examples of persons in the Bible who were humble (Moses, Mary, Joseph). Where have you been humble in the past? What are some examples of your failure to be humble? What changes do you need to make in your life in order to be more humble? What do you need to do in order to grow in humility? What might you do this day to practice humility? End the period of prayer with petitions to God, Jesus, Mary, and the saints to help you to be more humble.

(Matthew 5:20-26, John 2: 13-17) What is the difference between the anger of Jesus and the anger Jesus condemns in this passage from Matthew? Why is anger so wrong that Jesus equates it with the command against killing? St. Thomas defines anger as the desire to attack violently anyone who poses a threat to something we consider valuable. What about self-defense of our country, our family, ourselves? How far are we justified to go to defend ourselves? Is the anger you sometimes feel a justifiable anger, similar to that of Jesus, or the kind of anger Jesus condemns in the Sermon on the Mount? What does one do about one’s anger?

AS A COUPLE:

•Pick a word or concept that’s significant in your relationship with one another or together with God, such as obedience, trust, or joy. Use a concordance to find instances of this word in Scripture. What does each verse teach you about this concept?

•Pick a doctrine of the faith, such as the Immaculate Conception or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Read what the Catechism has to say about it, including any relevant Bible passages. Discuss how this doctrine actually applies to your day-to-day life.

WITH YOUR CHILDREN:

•Discuss articles of the faith with them Socratically, encouraging them (using leading questions, if necessary) to discover these truths themselves. Possible topics could include why Jesus died, why we love Mary, or why the martyrs were willing to give their lives for Jesus.

•Read a passage of Scripture together (such as the Sermon on the Mount). Interrupt the reading throughout to discuss the theological implications. (“What do you think it means to be poor in spirit?” “Does Jesus want us all to be poor?” “Who comforts people who mourn? How?”)

OTHER SUGGESTIONS:

•Read the same Bible verse in a few different translations. What light do the differences shed on the text?

•Read the day’s readings each day. Write down five things you learn.

•Do 15 minutes of spiritual reading. Spend 15 minutes talking to God about it.

•Trace a character through the Bible (Absalom, Elijah, Peter). Make an outline of his life. What virtues or vices does he emulate?

Sources: Held By His Pierced Hands Blog and Prayer and Temperament (Norrissey)

“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.”
-Mother Teresa

Reflection/Discussion Questions:
•What were the blessings of summer?
•What were the struggles of the season?
•Do you think of your life in seasons
(Spring-easy and fun, Summer-hot, working a lot, toiling, Fall-slower paced, Winter-dying/slowing)
•What season are you in right now?
•Does it help to know things can be cyclical?
•And that you can be in a spring season with one relationship and a winter with another?
Inspirations:
Mom's On the Go planner by In The Leafy Tree Tops
The Word Among Us