Mothers

The world is full of riches, but none of them can compare with the treasures that lie within a mother's heart.

Author Unknown

Shared by Sue

Blessed Mother Teresa's Quotes - Abortion

In Memory of Mother Teresa: Her Quotes About Abortion

"America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men.

It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father's role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts -- a child -- as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered dominion over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters"

And, in granting this unconscionable power, it has exposed many women to unjust and selfish demands from their husbands or other sexual partners.

Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. They are every human being's entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign." (Mother Theresa -- "Notable and Quotable," Wall Street Journal, 2/25/94, p. A14)

"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?

How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love, and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts.

Jesus gave even his life to love us. So the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love - that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts.

By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world.

That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want.

That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. " "Please don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child. I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted, and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child, and be loved by the child.

From our children's home in Calcutta alone, we have saved over 3,000 children from abortions. These children have brought such love and joy to their adopting parents, and have grown up so full of love and joy!"

February 1997 - National Prayer Breakfast in Washington attended by the President and the First Lady. "What is taking place in America," she said, "is a war against the child. And if we accept that the mother can kill her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another."

"Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what it wants." "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."

Shared bySue

Just Do Something

I once stopped behind several cars in an intersection. The winter weather was icy cold and a strong arctic wind blew relentlessly. Ahead
of me a young woman stood alongside the street rubbing her bare hands together and dancing in place to keep warm. Beside her rested a sign that read, "I have a baby and no food." She was obviously crying, likely from the pain of the cold wind.

Homeless and unemployed people are a common sight in many of our larger cities, and most motorists drive by without offering
assistance. They have no doubt been taught that giving money fosters a dependent lifestyle, or the ready cash may be used to purchase
alcohol or another substance rather than the food it was intended for. Like me, they may have been taught that one should give to a
local charity or through one's church, as these institutions can help those in need far more effectively.

This, of course, is true, but I am reminded of the college students who encountered a homeless man on the sidewalk. One of the students took a couple of dollars from his wallet and handed it to the unfortunate stranger. His friend commented, "Why did you do that? He's just going to spend it on booze or drugs." The student answered, "Yeah...like we're not!"

As I waited for the light to turn, I felt conflicted about that young woman. Whether or not I should give money, she was obviously in need. And whether or not she actually had a baby really didn't seem to matter. I gave up guessing people's motives and analyzing their
stories long ago. It was cold. She was cold. And she obviously felt she had to be there.

What should I do? Give her money? What was best? As I wrestled with these questions, the window rolled down from the car in front of me and a hand shot out holding a warm pair of gloves. The driver took her own gloves off and gave them to the shivering woman. I saw the young woman mouth the words "Thank you" as a broad smile lit up her face.

As I debated, somebody else helped. As I hesitated, somebody else acted. As I tried to decide the BEST way to assist, somebody else
just did what she could. As I did nothing, she did something. I made myself a pledge that day to always do SOMETHING.

Whether it is big or small, just do something. Something is almost always better than nothing!

Inspired Unknown Author

Fine Art Friday - Angels in Art

St. Michael and the Fallen Angels by Luca Giordano
Detail Angel - Fra Angelico
Guardian Angel - Araldo di Luca

Abraham and Isaac - Rembrandt van Rijn, Hermitage
Baptism of Christ - painting by Andrea del Verrocchio,
Angels on the left by Leonardo da Vinci, Uffizi Museum
The Fall of the Rebel Angels - Pieter Brueghel
First Kiss - William Bouguereau
Angel Supporting Dead Christ - Alonso Cano
Museo del Prado, Madrid

Soon the Catholic church will be honoring some of God's messengers...our guardian angels and the archangels. Today, we spotlight angels in art. As you can see by the particular works of art chosen for this week's FAF, not only were the good angels depicted by the masters, but also the fallen angels.

Saintly Quote - God's Image

Those who want to offer God a worthy gift can only do so by offering themselves. For since God made us in His own image He is delighted to be offered His own image, and commands us to present it to Him clean and shining.

That explains our Savior's answer to some of those who were trying to trap Him: Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. This means that just as we give to Caesar his image imprinted on a coin, so we must give to God his image imprinted on ourselves. And when we give our Creator His own image it must be righteous, not evil; humble, not proud; not debased by greed, deformed by rapacity, diminished by vicious anger, worn away by earthly passions, filthy with envy, defiled by debauchery; but kept unharmed by prudent care, clean by true faith, and shining by good ways and works. But the most holy prophet tells us how to give God His own image in ourselves, when He says: I shall show you what is good and what the Lord asks of you. It is to act justly and righteously, to love mercy and walk carefully with your God.

St. Fulgentius

"Fulgentius was a bishop in North Africa in the early 6th century. He tirelessly battled against the Arian heresy which denied Christ's full divinity. On this in other matters, He found great inspiration in the writings of an earlier N. African bishop, St. Augustine of Hippo". Source

Thanks to Sue for sharing the quote.

Back to (Home)School With Jesus

Thanks to Micki of Holy Cards for Your Inspiration for the lovely picture and following prayer.

"...Jesus our only teacher...thank you for bringing me this far...."
Nicholas of Cusa

Our family officially began the new school year with the recitation of the Holy Rosary, daily Mass and a lovely breakfast. Hope all your families have a wonderful and blessed school year.

Whosoever prays the Rosary has the power of God in his hand

The Rosary may seem like an insignificant thing in the light of the magnitude of the evils of today’s world, but it is the weapon given to us by Our Lady. She merely asks our cooperation, and she will do the rest. It is like the slingshot of David that killed the mighty enemy because the power of God was behind it. Thus, as the saying goes, he who prays the Rosary has the power of God in his hand.

Source and shared via Sue

Brief explanation of the Hail Mary

Are you in the miserable state of sin?

Then call on Mary and say to her, "Ave," which means "I greet thee with the most profound respect, thou who art without sin," and she will deliver you from the evil of your sins.

Are you groping in the darkness of ignorance and error?

Go to Mary and say to her, "Hail Mary," which means "Hail, thou who art bathed in the light of the Sun of Justice," and she will give you a share in her light.

Have you strayed from the path leading to heaven?

Then call on Mary, for her name means "Star of the Sea, the Polar Star which guides the ships of our souls during the voyage of this life," and she will guide you to the harbour of eternal salvation.

Are you in sorrow?

Turn to Mary, for her name means also "Sea of Bitterness which has been filled with bitterness in this world but which is now turned into a sea of purest joy in heaven," and she will turn your sorrow into joy and your affliction into consolation.

Have you lost the state of grace?

Praise and honour the numberless graces with which God has filled the Blessed Virgin and say to her, "Thou art full of grace and filled with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit", and she will give you some of these graces.

Are you alone, having lost God's protection?

Pray to Mary and say, "The Lord is with thee, in a nobler and more intimate way than He is with the saints and the just, because thou art one with Him. He is thy Son and His flesh is thy flesh; thou art united to the Lord because of thy perfect likeness to Him and by your mutual love, for thou art His Mother". And then say to her, "The three persons of the Godhead are with thee because thou art the Temple of the Blessed Trinity," and she will place you once more under the protection and care of God.

Have you become an outcast and been accursed by God?

Then say to our Lady, "Blessed art thou above all women and above all nations by thy purity and fertility; thou hast turned God's maledictions into blessings for us." She will bless you.

Do you hunger for the bread of grace and the bread of life? Draw near to her who bore the living Bread which came down from heaven, and say to her, "Blessed be the fruit of thy womb, whom thou hast conceived without the slightest loss to thy virginity, whom thou didst carry without discomfort and brought forth without pain. Blessed be Jesus who redeemed our suffering world when we were in the bondage of sin, who has healed the world of its sickness, who has raised the dead to life, brought home the banished, restored sinners to grace, and saved men from damnation. Without doubt, your soul will be filled with the bread of grace in this life and of eternal glory in the next. Amen."

Conclude your prayer with the Church and say, "Holy Mary," holy because of thy incomparable and eternal devotion to the service of God, holy in thy great rank as Mother of God, who has endowed thee with eminent holiness, in keeping with this great dignity. "Mother of God, and our Mother, our Advocate and Mediatrix, Treasurer and dispenser of God's graces, obtain for us the prompt forgiveness of our sins and grant that we may be reconciled with the divine majesty.

"Pray for us sinners, thou who art always filled with compassion for those in need, who never despise sinners or turn them away, for without them you would never have been Mother of the Redeemer.

"Pray for us now, during this short life, so fraught with sorrow and uncertainty; now, because we can be sure of nothing except the present moment; now that we are surrounded and attacked night and day by powerful and ruthless enemies.

"And at the hour of our death, so terrible and full of danger, when our strength is waning and our spirits are sinking, and our souls and bodies are worn out with fear and pain; at the hour of our death when the devil is working with might and main to ensnare us and cast us into perdition; at that hour when our lot will be decided forever and ever, heaven or hell.

"Come to the help of your poor children, gentle Mother of pity, Advocate and Refuge of sinners, at the hour of our death drive far from us our bitter enemies, the devils, our accusers, whose frightful presence fills us with dread. Light our path through the valley of the shadow of death. Lead us to thy Son's judgment-seat and remain at our side. Intercede for us and ask thy Son to pardon us and receive us into the ranks of thy elect in the realms of everlasting glory. Amen."

No one could help admiring the excellence of the holy Rosary, made up as it is of these two divine parts: the Lord's Prayer and the Angelic Salutation. How could there be any prayers more pleasing to God and to the Blessed Virgin, or any that are easier, more precious, or more helpful than these two prayers? We should always have them in our hearts and on our lips to honour the most Blessed Trinity, Jesus Christ our Saviour and his most holy Mother. In addition, at the end of each decade it is good to add the Gloria Patri, that is: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

St. Louis De Montfort, Secret of the Rosary, 20th Rose

Shared by Sue

Sainty Quote - St. Agnes of Rome

Saintly Quote - The Shortest Way to Heaven

Holy Communion is the shortest way to Heaven. There are others, innocence for instance, but that is for little children; penance, but we are afraid of it; a generous endurance of the trials of life, but they approach us we weep and pray to be delivered.

Once for all, beloved children, the surest, easiest, shortest way is by the Holy Eucharist.

Pope Saint Pius X

Shared by Sue.