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JMJDevotee
Member
| Joined: | Wed Dec 20th, 2006 |
| Location: | North Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 6 |
| First Name: | | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Proud to Roman Catholic!!! |
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Posted: Thu Dec 21st, 2006 08:40 am |
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I know this may sound silly, but my folks are in town. Now, I love my parents, I respect my parents, I treat them kindly. They are very close to my kids. Neither my parents nor siblings deal with my conversion very well. We have a family gathering on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Christmas. My mom scheduled it so it ocurrs between the 4th Sunday of Advent Mass and the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass. One sister is upset that it is at that time, she wanted it to be at night. I told my mom to plan it when she wanted to and if it overlapped one of our obligations, we would be there-but maybe not for the whole thing. This is causing a lot of tension. And now my mom, who was planning on coming to my house Christmas morning for breakfast is upset because we have to eat prior to 10am in order to meet the fasting requirement of the Church.
As I said in another post, I suffer from fibromyalgia and stress is my biggest trigger. Please pray that the Lord has His mighty hand in all of these events. That noone winds up with hurt feelings and that we all enjoy the time we have together and remember why it is we celebrate this season.
Pax Vobiscum
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AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
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Katy
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | DFW, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 78 |
| First Name: | Katy | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Non-denom/Bible churches, Catholic since Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Thu Dec 21st, 2006 01:14 pm |
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| I know how hard family gatherings can be when the family doesn't understand your conversion-- I will be praying for you.
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Lord, by Your cross and resurrection, You have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.
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BodRod
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 840 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Thu Dec 21st, 2006 04:13 pm |
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Hi JMJDevotee,
<<<Pax Vobiscum>>>
Et cum spiritu tuo.
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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Darlene
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Thu Dec 21st, 2006 04:19 pm |
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JMJDevotee wrote: I know this may sound silly, but my folks are in town. Now, I love my parents, I respect my parents, I treat them kindly. They are very close to my kids. Neither my parents nor siblings deal with my conversion very well. We have a family gathering on Sunday afternoon to celebrate Christmas. My mom scheduled it so it ocurrs between the 4th Sunday of Advent Mass and the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass. One sister is upset that it is at that time, she wanted it to be at night. I told my mom to plan it when she wanted to and if it overlapped one of our obligations, we would be there-but maybe not for the whole thing. This is causing a lot of tension. And now my mom, who was planning on coming to my house Christmas morning for breakfast is upset because we have to eat prior to 10am in order to meet the fasting requirement of the Church.
As I said in another post, I suffer from fibromyalgia and stress is my biggest trigger. Please pray that the Lord has His mighty hand in all of these events. That noone winds up with hurt feelings and that we all enjoy the time we have together and remember why it is we celebrate this season.
Pax Vobiscum
JMJ,
For some reason, the Love Chapter in I Corinthians 13 comes to mind. "Love bears all things and Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful." Now in saying this, I don't mean that you should disobey God. But if all your family members are Christian (and perhaps I should have asked this first) then somehow all concerned should be working out what is best and most loving toward the other parties/persons. Your mother should respect your family's desire and intentions to attend Mass on Christmas Day, for pleasing God comes before all else. Perhaps a brunch can be worked out for Christmas Day instead. From what you have said, it seems like you are trying to be as flexible as God will permit and that is showing charity.
At times like these, with family conflicts/emotions, etc. in the works, it is very easy to be tossed to and fro. I know, I went through an emotional roller coaster for a few days regarding a family matter at Thanksgiving. I think your heart is to please God and to love your family as Christ wants you to love them. Examine yourself and if you are doing this, then "Let go and Let God." Now I know this expression can seem cliched, but in its simplicity, it speaks truth to us. 1.) Let go of your anxieties, worries, feelings about rejection and hurt from your family members (Cast your burdens on the Lord) and, 2.) Allow God to take over the situation by trusting that after you have prayed about this matter He indeed will work it out (and He will sustain you). In fact, God will give you the strength to get through all the emotions and anxiety over this family matter and that will in turn, relieve your stress.
Remember, you are not responsible, nor should you feel false guilt over other peoples' wrong attitudes or misunderstandings. They must answer to God for their behavior as you must also. (All of us must) Some folks have that uncanny knack of being able to make others feel guilty - call them guilt trippers if you like. This is a form of manipulation but if it works for them, they will continue to practice this kind of behavior. Now I don't know if this is what is happening in the family issues that you presented to us, but if so, don't enable others to make you feel guilty. It reminds me of the people who are always afraid of saying "no" and end up being held hostage to the one making them feel they must always say "yes" to every request.
OK, I'm rambling. Hope what I and others have said is helpful.
God Bless You,
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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