Do This in Memory of Me…

It’s hard to know where to begin. I journal, but it’s been so long since I wrote publicly.

I’ve been working on other things. I’ve been teaching full time – math, not the easiest subject for most kids. It requires extra effort and extra time. This is true for both the kids I teach and for me.

My boys are older now, but they still take up time. It’s different, but sometimes…sometimes. I’ll leave that thought there and come back to it another day.

And I started podcasting!

If you have not caught my Single Mom Smiling podcast, please check it out. Of course, I am also going to semi-shamelessly ask you to leave a written five star review too! I’ve gotten better at asking for what I want and need over the years. It’s still uncomfortable, but we are not created for comfort as the late, great Pope Benedict said.

I began podcasting because I know how busy I was as a newly single mom. I know how busy I am as a veteran single mom! I know blogging can be therapeutic for me and (hopefully) for readers too, but I also know reading (and writing!) time is hard to find.

I took up podcasting to reach more people with the love of God and His calls to repentance, forgiveness, and greatness through His paths rather than our own.

That’s a bit of where I am now.

But why start today, especially since so far it seems I have nothing profound to say?

I am hoping to do short daily reflections for single moms. I may eventually switch platforms, but for now, I am posting here to thank anyone still here and following. If no one is here and still following, I will do as I did when I first began blogging back in 2012.

I will trust God to bring me those He wants to find my words.

But why today? Why begin those reflections today?

Holy Thursday’s Theme:  “Do this in memory of me.”

Today is Holy Thursday.

I just checked the time:  11:50 pm.

Yes, it is still Holy Thursday.

I figure this day is as good as any to begin reaching out again. The day opens the Triduum and is a great time to step out in faith and go back to what I believe God is calling me to do.

The theme of the day, “Do this in memory of me,” the very words Jesus gives as He presents Himself as the bread and wine, true food and true drink, at the Last Supper are dancing in my heart.

If they are not yet dancing in yours, sit with them for a bit. Ask Jesus to show you there message for you. He may not reveal this instantaneously, but He always reveals it to those who seek to know.

Speaking of knowing…

Knowing He would be betrayed shortly, Jesus gives thanks, breaks the bread, and gives it to His disciples saying, “Take this all of you and eat of it. This is my body, which will be given up for you. Do this in memory of me.”

He then does the same for the wine turning ordinary wine into His Most Precious Blood to be shared with all present.

For several years I have traveled from parish to parish Holy Thursday evening. I begin with Mass and then make my pilgrimage to neighboring parishes to visit Jesus in the Repositories in several areas.

Tonight though, I was tired.

I spent most of my week cleaning – maybe not cleaning since my house is a mess. I spent most of my week decluttering though. Ten hours in the bedroom, ten in the kitchen, and ten in the dining room (Oh the paperwork that needed sorting in the dining room – YIKES!!!).

The rest of the house will have to wait until I have another block of time, but for now, those three rooms are much more organized, and by tomorrow they should be cleaned too!

It’s a terrific feeling, but it has left me drained of the energy and spark I usually have when I am active, outdoors, and meeting people.

So tonight I skipped running from parish to parish and, instead, simply sat at one local Church and prayed a Rosary for each of my five boys – all young men now. I read a few pages from my Adoration book. I wanted to sit longer, but, as always, I had things to do –  even after 10:00 at night.

The work of a single mom never seems to end – even when the kids are older!

But as I sat there praying quietly, I thought of Jesus’ words, “Do this in memory of me.” I thought of how often I’ve heard them and how little thought I put into them.

Yes, I consider the words (most of the time) as I walk up to receive the Eucharist, but what about the rest of my life?

Did the “this” Jesus referred to mean only take Communion in memory of Him, or did His “this” mean do every moment in memory of Him?

I’m guessi sure it is the latter.

What does, “Do this in memory of me,” mean when applied to all of life?

What does doing every moment in memory of Him mean? What does it mean to me as a single mom? What does it mean now that my kids are older? What does it mean in my relationships with my own parents, friends, and students? What does it mean when I work online, respond to someone on social media, or drive when I am late for work? What does it mean in my workouts or hikes or cross country adventures?

What does it mean in my interactions with my ex?

What does it mean to do all of life in memory of Him?

Because tonight that’s what I am pondering? That’s what I am longing to do bigger and better! That is what He asks of us.

Yes, take His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in through the Eucharist, but also LIVE Joyfully, lovingly, courageously, genuinely in memory of Him.

It is in bringing Him to the hard things that we draw closer to Christ. It is in drawing closer to Christ that we also discover more about the women we are designed to become and how to be our best selves. It is in remembering Christ in every conversation, every embrace, every lonely holiday, every bite of food, in every walk to the car, in every trip to the grocery store, in every laugh and every tear that we reach perfection, not as the world confuses perfection, but as Christ defines it – perfection in perseverance, perfection in love of the Lord and love of our neighbors as ourselves.

Do ALL in memory of Him. Live life in memory of Him.

It takes humility. It takes trust. It takes patience, perseverance, and longterm goal setting.

It takes Divine intervention!

Thankfully, Jesus is there waiting to pour His interventions upon you. All you need to do is ask.

Heading into Good Friday and this Holiest of weekends, ask!

Then do all in memory of Him.

God Bless…

 

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