When Life is Heavy
Life can be heavy. My husband’s been travelling a lot lately which strains our relationship. Each child needs me in ways that demand more than I have. The other morning I woke up feeling as if a concrete shawl were crushing my shoulders, and on the brink of an overwhelmed emotional meltdown. Before I knew it I had picked something ridiculous to be upset about. (My husband didn’t compliment my cooking with exactly the right words.) Then I ungraciously ordered the five youngest to the car and stormed out of the house. We picked up some coffee and donuts and found a quiet place to park — in front of a cemetery.
I had myself a good cry while the kids ate and listened to Feliz Navidad (yes, in May). Soon they began to ask questions about death. Still feeling pitiful, I softened and searched for the words to do better. We’d been talking about the Resurrection and Ascension, so as we looked out at the calm graveyard, I reminded them about the words we pray in the Creed at Mass. We believe in the resurrection of the body. That made me think.
What do we believe anyway? I found that it is a de fide dogma that the dead will rise again with the same bodies as they had on earth, a revealed truth of the highest degree of certainty. From the teachings of the Apostles, the Scholastic scholars described how the re-modeled body of the just will be free of suffering, sorrow, sickness and death, a spiritualized nature in which the body obeys the soul with the greatest of ease and freedom of movement. We will be agile, not conditioned by the Laws of Gravity as our earthly bodies are. We be light, and filled with beauty and radiance. “The just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matthew 13:43)
Later, of course, my husband cleared the kitchen of children so I could cook something wonderful, just for him, and he of course dutifully praised the meal, and the wife he loves, for cooking it. And I praised him for that gift. You see, it’s not so much the praise, but the union, the preciousness of the giving and receiving and the time together. The burdens of life don’t go away, but through grace we are restored, lightened, and better able to navigate. Such moments of grace in the simple things are probably a little glimpse of Heaven.
[learn_more caption="Sources"]
Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott
Book Five “The Doctrine of God the Consummator
The Doctrine of the Last Things or of the Consummation (Eschatology)
Chapter 2
Eschatology of the Whole of Mankind
§ 7. The Resurrection of the Dead
(Again, thanks to Dr. Jeff McLeod for recommending the book.)
Image source: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint Clip Art
[/learn_more]
Category: Catholic Free Press, Featured, Personal
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Hi,
Firstly I love reading your blog. Its very well written and I can relate to the way you write.
I’m from Mumbai, India. I’m 22 years old and I’ve just completed college. I am a cradle Catholic who has returned home recently and am still struggling with my faith. 4 years back I set out on a journey to know what life really mean. The world that I live in couldn’t give me any answers. I grew frustated and started hating God. I subsequently fell into a deep depression (which is under treatment now, thank God for Fluoxetine) .
I have been reading your blog for a onth now. I cant tell you how happy I feel when I read your blog.I can understand your issues with science and how one can absorbed by “Scientism.” It makes so much sense to me. Please keep up the good work.
I hope I have expressed myself well enough. I’m not very fluent in English.
I wish you the best always.
* month
Perfectly communicated Savio! It is a pleasure to meet you and I praise God for your kind words of encouragement. You conquered the darkness and your humble testimony will show others the light of Christ.
“Each child needs me in ways that demand more than I have.”
Stacy, this reminded me of my grandmother. Mother of 8, died at 93?, only marriage for both, buried 2 children and a husband. Throughout my life I have heard from all of the children, except for one isolated criticism from 2 of them, and even from those 2 this; respect, quotes, stories and a longing for her presence in their lives again.
When talking about her with my cousins in later years, what came out was her ability to make each one of us know that we were a very important person to her. When we talk about what she said to us it was usually remembering small talk and not “D… it, get out of the kitchen.”. She was after all, the boss.
You have more than is needed.
Thanks for the post – loved how you redid the meal, just for the perfect compliment. That’s love.
Thank you for sharing a bit of normal life of a normal family. Sometimes, I read blogs where the homemakers describe such perfect lives it makes me wonder what’s wrong with me. For most of us, a real-life day is when the toilet gets plugged, the baby throws up and the lasagna turns out soupy. LOL.
Howard,
I appreciate you so much. I do sit in Mass sometimes and wonder if someday I’ll be there alone with memories of these days I’m living now. I might remember the crazy times, but it’ll still be with a smile.
“D… it, get out of the kitchen.”
LOL, yep. Something like that.
Grant and Julie, thank you. Yes, Grant, I like how you put that. Julie, A young mother once asked how to pray during the day with so much time dedicated to taking care of children. Pray all day! You can pray while changing diapers.
I appreciate the realistic portrait of marriage and family life.
PS: That’s good advice.