Weekly Wildflowers #20

Habemus Papam! 3 Quick Takes, New Beginnings

Well I had a different post for this week but then white smoke billowed out from a smoke stack in the Vatican and what I had planned went out the window. Such is the way of the Holy Spirit.

We had spent the morning at Shriners because my oldest broke his left big toe. “Weren’t you just there?” you might ask. Why yes, yes I was…Monday. To have my youngest get cleared for sport after breaking his finger. I’m contemplating asking for frequent flyer miles. Only partially kidding…

It’s been a rough few weeks for our house.

Still, we had made it home in time to turn on the tv to the smoke watch on the Vatican News. I was preparing some meals, and my oldest was parked on the couch resting his foot while trying to tackle some school work. At 11:30 ET we started watching closely but nothing was happening so we talked, I cleaned, and time passed so slowly.

Then that adorable seagull family arrived, first the parents, then the fluffy chick. I whipped out my phone, snapped some pictures, and then white smoke! It was SO exciting to see and the other kids came rushing into the room as my oldest and I shouted.

My younger two began to shout “Habemus Papam” and jump around. My oldest sat, mouth agape, and I was trying to take it all in. The moment, the sounds, the joy of a global church celebrating in unity.

Habemus Papam! May God bless our new Pope Leo XIV!

AMDG,

Mandy

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Photo by Humam on Unsplash

3 Quick Takes

1. In the last 3 hours (at the time of my writing this) since Pope Leo XIV was announced, and came out to bless the faithful I’ve read so many opinions on what our new pope believes about any number of issues. SO many pundits are attempting to get their opinions out there, and a lot of it is speculation or an attempt to spin. So I’ve decided for the next several weeks to live like Catholics did before mass media was a thing, and especially before the internet. Who needs all that noise, and bickering, and speculation and anxiety? Yes we are celebrating, and of course we’re curious about this new pope but lets not forget to keep praying for our new pope. I know almost nothing about our new pope other than the fact he is an American from Chicago (a first in the history of the Church!) and honestly I think I’m going to keep it that way. The reality is the Church and the Pope will never fit perfectly well with the world and that’s a good thing. And at the end of the day Jesus promised us — promised — that He would not abandon His church, that He would be with us always until the close of the age. And I don’t know about you but I take Jesus at His word. You should too.

2. I’ve written about this before, passing on the inheritance of our faith. It’s been rolling around in my head more lately, to write a bit more on this topic, as so many of us grow up without solid faith examples in our lives or become Catholic as adults. We don’t have a model of how to effectively live our faith in-between Sundays, in daily life. So I want to put together a two part newsletter - one part story, one part a how-to. Simply sharing what we’ve done in our home that has brought our faith to life for ourselves and our kids, especially in the darker and more difficult moments of navigating special needs. Nothing extra or over the top but simple, day-to-day actions that can really light a fire in everyone’s hearts and ground each person in a rich, fulfilling faith. So keep an eye out for a monthly post on this - timing TBD. Also that series “A Full-filling faith” is coming. It will most likely be a summer series in 3 parts, I’m on the fence about if it will be completely free or partially behind a paywall. Not because I don’t want you all to read it but because this kind of writing takes me away from my kids, from house work, and it takes time. Thanks for understanding!

3. Digital Digest: This week has been horrible on the digital front and I blame the conclave! I’m not even going to pretend that I somehow managed to stay off my phone, because I didn’t. I was reading articles, watching the smoke stack, enjoying memes, and waiting. Now that we have a new pope I plan first thing tomorrow to park my phone out of sight (because there is such a thing as voicemail) and tackle some projects I let slide. Nunc Coepi (Now I begin [again]).

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Quote of the Week

“We are not the sum of our weakness and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His Son.” - St. John Paul II

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Devotional Corner

It’s still Easter! We even have a new pope! It is the season of new beginnings and I am so grateful those exist.

This past Sunday I shared a little about my journey as a special needs mom. While reflecting on that journey, I couldn’t help but think of all the ways I’ve stumbled. The cues I missed. The times I should’ve spoke up or pushed too hard when gentleness was needed. The times I failed. So many failures.

And honestly? It was overwhelming.

It was in reflection that I realized how much I don’t deserve an Easter in my life. A new beginning seemed too good. A chance to be renewed, to be created into a new creature. It seemed too generous.

And yet, that is the Gospel.

Somehow, in today’s modern world, we forget how shocking that message truly is. We’ve lost the shock and awe that it once held. In the world Jesus walked, people believed they were at the mercy of fickle gods. If you failed to meet their expectations, you paid - dearly. Mercy was rare. Dignity was reserved for the powerful. Children, the sick, the disabled, the poor - well, they were weak, expendable.

Then God entered into history and everything changed.

Jesus didn’t bring just a new teaching, He brought a new kingdom. A kingdom where the last are first, the meek inherit the earth, the broken are blessed and sinners are not only forgiven but welcomed to the feast. A kingdom not built on power, but on love.

In Christ, failure is not the end - death is not the end.

We get to being again.

What a wild, and radical mercy that is.

My prayer this week is that we never grown numb to the radical love God offers us. That we never turn away from it. That we forever and always open our hearts to it.

Discussion Questions

This section is a starting off point to help you go deeper with topics discussed above.

1. When was the last time the Gospel truly surprised you? What part of it still feels radical or hard to grasp? Consider writing what comes to you down in a journal and praying that the Holy Spirit come and enliven your mind.

2. Where in your life do you most long for a new beginning? How might God be offering that to you this Easter season?

3. What beliefs about yourself are you still carrying that don’t align with the Good News? What would it look like to let them go, and live as someone deeply loved?

How do you usually start your mornings?

I’m glad to know coffee + prayer are a staple in your home too! I don’t think I’d get very far without that boost to my body and soul. In all honesty though, it wasn’t that long ago (maybe 4 years ago) that I was still very much in the Chaos (and grace) stage with a toddler who loved to run, and an unstable walker who loved talk non-stop (he still does), plus a rambunctious middle child who loved to annoy her brothers when she wasn’t begging them to play a new game. So if that is where you are, I’ll be offering up my prayers for you this week!

You can check out this week’s poll here.

P.S. One more thing, it’s been a real joy to write these weekly notes for you. If this reflection added something meaningful to your day, would you consider forwarding it to a friend or sharing it on social media? Every time you do, it helps this little ministry grow and reach hearts I couldn’t reach on my own. Thank you!