First Code of Conduct: To Live in Christ

How many of us love our children more than our own life? (Yes, even after the tantrums, boogers on the walls and constant bickering with their siblings!!) I know I can sit here and rattle off 10 names of people I would do anything for without hesitation.

In my quest to begin a new era of my life and live more "in Christ", I have written down 10 things, or "personal commandments", to aid in my journey. I looked over my list of people with pride and realized one person was missing....Me. I am not putting myself on the list in a narcissistic or selfish way, only to help me be better and appreciate myself and my role as a child of God. If I don't love myself, how can I love others the way God wants me to?

John says the same in the bible. "To love is to live according to his commandments: this is the commandment which you have heard since the beginning, to live a life of love." (John 2:6) Living a life of love, for all things God has created on earth, to be a steward for the children he has given me, to be a caretaker for the earth and to respect and love all creatures here. Not just to live it, but to emulate it in every action and thought.

The first rule I will bring into my life is to devote all of my being and service to God. I will strive daily to be consciously aware and allow Him into my life; living each day as pure and thankful for the gifts I have and the path He has me on.

From this moment, I am surrendering my fears and faith to God and to feel nothing but love from Him and for Him. I know the number one rule I teach my children, is to never judge, but more importantly never judge a person for where they are in the moment you see them at their weakest. Because at that moment, you never know if they are sent to test your love for God. They have come to know that when they look another person in the eyes, they are seeing the love of Christ in that soul. It always amazes me that I taught them that, yet, it is always my children who remind me of this important lesson. My lesson from them is to be more consciously aware of this in my daily life and prayers. To have a greater love for myself and not be my hardest critic...not an easy thing for a mom to do!

"We have recognised for ourselves, and put our faith in, the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him." (John 4:16)

Reflection for the Easter Weekend

We reflect during Lent on what it means to us, the sacrifices we make and recognize of all the ones Christ made for us. The three days of Christ’s passion, within the Church referred to as the Triduum, we are given another opportunity to reflect on our lives and Christ’s role within it. During this time we should consciously commit to live more like Christ; as we remember His death, the greatest sacrifice on Good Friday, which is a moment that forever changed - and still changes – all human History through the great self gift from the Son of God who did for us what we could never do for ourselves, giving us eternal life by conquering death for us. Most Catholics tend to think of Easter as only having to reflect and commit during the 40 sacred days, with the most important on Easter Sunday. We tend to go back to our normal habits on Monday and never see the overall importance of the Easter Triduum in the whole season.

Easter Triduum might not be a term we use in our daily lives; however, most of us are very familiar with it. It is the three-day celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ - beginning on Holy Thursday, His Death on Good Friday and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. While mass is not served during those days, there are special services for the incredible occasion which took place just under 2000 years ago. As the Vatican Council II states, "Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through his paschal mystery: in dying He destroyed our death and in rising He restored our life. Therefore the Easter Triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.

I guess I had never thought of the Easter Triduum is a new beginning for us all. Without Christ's love and sacrifice for us, we would not get the chance to live and reflect it each year. But why each year? Why is it that we have to have Easter to remind us how much we are loved by God each year. What can I learn this year differently tht will affect my life for years to come? What if I took that love and extended it throughout the year, so that next year I didn't have to start over each Easter. I could rejoice each year in the love and affirmation for myself that Christ has for me, not just think about what small sacrifices I would make over the 40 days, just to go back to my life until Lent next year. Being a wife and mother, I am usually busy putting the needs of others first; would it be selfish this year if I started with myself? I know that I can never be spiritually whole or fully be aware of the sacrifices Christ made for me if I am not aware of and do not value the love that I AM. If I am not whole, how can I fully give of myself to my children, my husband, my family, all of humanity or all of God's creations on our amazing planet? I know what I need to do this Easter season, I am going to create my own personal commandments to live by, not in lieu of the original 10 Commandments, but rules to apply to which I will surrender all that I am and trust all of my fears to God. If I do not own all that I AM or love myself as God does, who will and how can I surrender to His will? That sisters, is what Triduum of Easter will forever be to me. I challenge you to do the same? Reflect this weekend on your journey to live in Christ daily all year, for the rest of your lives, not just for the 40 days of Lent.