When we smell like our sons, we’ll willingly surrender them to God because He loves them the best. It’s not that a sacrificial mother learns how to smell, a smelly mother learns how to sacrifice.
Oh my gosh, this is beautiful! And I agree with it wholeheartedly. My own son is entering seminary in the fall as well. When people ask how we raised a (potential) priest, I find myself just a bit flustered about how to answer because it wasn’t something we set out to do or did with a design on the priesthood. It unfolded organically over the course of his whole childhood and adolescence and into his young adulthood. God called him, I did not. But yes, we smell of those children. We learn to sacrifice because we are invested in love.
A lot of this resonated with me. I'm terrified of driving my kids away from God too, and I pray about that a lot.
A word about seminary...my husband spent several years there (he discerned out, BEFORE we met... always feel like I have to emphasize that, lol). He still feels he was called there by God to form him for his vocation, it just wasn't the vocation he initially thought it was. We've even visited his alma mater as a family.
He's also told me that it was a place where his faith was very much tested and purified, not greenhoused or sheltered. He went to a faithful seminary for his philosophy studies (undergrad) and a decent one for theology (graduate level) and was never taught to believe a heresy in class (though we know someone else that happened to who's getting ordained this summer), but still saw a lot of brokeness in the lives of his fellow students -- and even more in his summer ministry assignments. My husband has seen corruption and scandal in the Church in a very up close and personal way (even from his direct superiors once) and your son likely will as well.
I think you're right to be proud of your son. It's an uncommon, beautiful, and much needed path that he's chosen. I'm also not trying to scare you-- God has always given grace where and when it's needed, and He always will.
That said, it's also only the first step in what's still a very long (and often difficult and even spiritually dangerous) path, and it's one he will need your prayers for pretty much every step of the way.
It's certainly a path with many challenges and we pray he will meet them well. And it's one that no one who's shared similar stories has scared me from encouraging him to pursue. God bless!
Thank you so much for this! The most beautiful article I have read on motherhood today. Happy Mother’s Day!
Thank you! I hope you had a happy Mother's Day!
Oh my gosh, this is beautiful! And I agree with it wholeheartedly. My own son is entering seminary in the fall as well. When people ask how we raised a (potential) priest, I find myself just a bit flustered about how to answer because it wasn’t something we set out to do or did with a design on the priesthood. It unfolded organically over the course of his whole childhood and adolescence and into his young adulthood. God called him, I did not. But yes, we smell of those children. We learn to sacrifice because we are invested in love.
This is beautiful, and congratulations to your son! I love that prayer - Lord, don't let me get in the way - I'll be borrowing that.
Thanks, Gina!
Thanks, Gina!
A lot of this resonated with me. I'm terrified of driving my kids away from God too, and I pray about that a lot.
A word about seminary...my husband spent several years there (he discerned out, BEFORE we met... always feel like I have to emphasize that, lol). He still feels he was called there by God to form him for his vocation, it just wasn't the vocation he initially thought it was. We've even visited his alma mater as a family.
He's also told me that it was a place where his faith was very much tested and purified, not greenhoused or sheltered. He went to a faithful seminary for his philosophy studies (undergrad) and a decent one for theology (graduate level) and was never taught to believe a heresy in class (though we know someone else that happened to who's getting ordained this summer), but still saw a lot of brokeness in the lives of his fellow students -- and even more in his summer ministry assignments. My husband has seen corruption and scandal in the Church in a very up close and personal way (even from his direct superiors once) and your son likely will as well.
I think you're right to be proud of your son. It's an uncommon, beautiful, and much needed path that he's chosen. I'm also not trying to scare you-- God has always given grace where and when it's needed, and He always will.
That said, it's also only the first step in what's still a very long (and often difficult and even spiritually dangerous) path, and it's one he will need your prayers for pretty much every step of the way.
It's certainly a path with many challenges and we pray he will meet them well. And it's one that no one who's shared similar stories has scared me from encouraging him to pursue. God bless!
I'm glad. ❤️ Prayers for your son and family.