As soon as I walk in the door from any given workday, I am ambushed by a barrage of “Mommy!!!” “Hi Mommy!” and “Yeah! Mommy’s home!!” My usually subdued workplace atmosphere gives way to the chaos of several littles as I try to get dinner on the table while listening to their stories and complaints. 

Sometimes these moments are overwhelming. Sometimes my reactions are not loving. Sometimes I wish I had some earplugs. Sometimes, I remind myself to take a step back and take it all in while it lasts. 

I often feel like I’m in the midst of a whirlwind. One day blows into the other at a rapid pace. The years go by in the blink of an eye. Am I behaving as I should as a Catholic Christian?

Today’s Psalm exclaims: “Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds.” I do want to be thankful and call upon Him always; I do want to teach my children (my own little nation) about all He has done so that they may follow in His footsteps. Everything I do matters. Every comment I make, every tone of voice I emit, will affect them in one way or another. I invoke your name oh, Lord. Teach me your ways. 

The Gospel tells us: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.” I long to be that good tree that bears fruits of goodness in my children. There are days that I hear sarcasm come out of their mouths and I say to myself, “I taught them that.” And there are other days that I hear them say, “I shared with my brother today” and I taught them that too. 

The daily struggle between good and evil is real, but if we remember to invoke the Lord and ask Him to teach us His ways, He can make that good fruit grow within us. May our children, and all those we encounter, find Christ through our good fruits.

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