Spiritual Motherhood

[shortnun]

Just a few quick discernment tidbits: I've followed God to graduate school and feel very firm that this is truly the place He wants me to be. So if I've got another two years (maybe more) before my MDiv is done, I have to look at how I'm growing spiritually. So I was talking with my spiritual director about the idea of spiritual motherhood. He's an older priest (by older I mean, he was ordained pre-Vat II), and taught in seminaries for his early life, and now does parish work. But he was unfamiliar with this term "spiritual motherhood."

Where does this term come from? Vita consecrata? I googled it, but haven't read all the results yet. I did find this quote which I found to be enlightening:

[quote]All women, by their nature, were created to give life to others. Spiritual Motherhood is the nurturing of supernatural life to others. Teaching the Faith to children and instilling in them a love for Jesus, Mary and the Church exemplifies this. Saint Paul speaks of this in his letter to the Corinthians: "I am like a mother giving birth, until Christ is formed in you." Just like the couple who are instantly better people by the very life that calls forth loving generosity, a teacher is made holy through her gift of self to her children and all who come into her life. 

[b][url="http://www.sistersofmary.org/newsletter_articles/oct2004spiritualmotherhood.html"]Mater Eucharistiae, Oct. 2004[/url]  [/b] [/quote]
[b]So, in an effort to further education (both myself, my SD, and others), I would love to hear comments about your individual understanding of spiritual motherhood. I'd love to hear from those who are men, women, those discerning, etc.[/b]

[magnificat]

Several thoughts come to mind....

(1) Along the lines of Mater Eucharistiae, there are clearly differences between men and women, physical and spiritual. And I think one of the unique qualities of women is their nurturing ability. Just think of women and young children. I think that there's an innate draw and desire towards protecting and caring for others.

(2) Another thought that comes to mind is Mary. Most religious communities have at least some devotion to Mary, particularly in imitating her fiat and her devotion to Christ. One thing that Sr. Joseph Andrew mentioned in one of her talks at SLU was about how God chose to have Christ come into the world in a normal human fashion, that is, having spent 9 months in Mary's womb. God wanted Christ to be able to know her from the inside out. I think that's part of the power of Our Lady's intercession. In imitation of that, as religious, we can hopefully help others attain graces by prayer to Jesus.

(3) As a religious sister (someday, God willing), I would see spiritual motherhood exemplified in several ways. First it'd be through prayer for the world and acting as mother would and trying to seek what's best for her children (again the image of Mary). I think this is particularly true for contemplative orders who spend so much time listening and being attentive to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Second, it'd be through an attitude of joy, rooted in Christ. As the saying goes, "if Mama ain't happy, nobody's happy." I think that finding and embracing the joy of God in such a radical way permeates out through the mystical body of Christ. Something else Sr. Joseph Andrew mentioned in her talk was how women are the heartbeat of the Church in a way and when that's not funcitoning properly, then everything else becomes weak.
Third, it'd be through my charism. For me, that's a devotion to protecting the sanctity of human life for which I think it's pretty easy to see the physical counterpart to motherhood in that. But I think it's true with a lot of other charisms too. For example with teaching orders, one is nurturing a love of learning and of Christ in their students. For nursing orders, it's mothering the ill and sick.

I know that's a bit scattered, but I hope that helps some.

[cmotherofpirl]

You can be a biological parent to whoever God gifts you with, or a spiritual parent to many, or both. I have 4 biological children, but many who have lived in my house for days, weeks and even months who call me mom. I have several people on the net that I "mom" regularly. There are several people in my life who currently mother me. I know several people who are spiritual fathers as well.
I think it is a function of the Body of Christ, a building of the kingdom. We are are called to different task and talents, mentoring/mothering is simply one of them.
Many sisters and nuns make excellent spiritual mothers.

[benedictaj]

Yes, I agree wih what has been said, but I thought I'd suggest reading this apostolic letter from our late Holy Father John Paul II. [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_15081988_mulieris-dignitatem_en.html"]http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_pau...nitatem_en.html[/url]
It is quite beautiful, going into depth on the beauty and dignity of being a women - he discusses both biological and spiritual motherhood - perhaps the phrase became popular though this?

Personally, the concept of spiritual motherhood is dear to me. I already can see the fruits of spiritually "mothering" people from my own life, and others. Also, in Theology of the Body, Pope John Paul II discusses how the physicality of our bodies pre-determines how we are, how we react, interact etc.

I think magnificat answered really well. :

[MC IMaGiNaZUN]

I had the privilege in my own life for my own biological mother to be my own spiritual mother. It was her fault i fell in love with Christ. The second person i can blame was my Dominican Aunt.

In order to clarify this concept of spiritual motherhood, i will attempt to elaborate slightly on spiritual fatherhood.

It is important to recognize that gender is not merely socialization. That there are inherent differences in women and men, in their gifts, attitudes, and just ways of dealing with things.

A spiritual father is always looking for danger, the hard path. A man sees a laborious task as fruitful, and a good way to truly earn your reward. We know that we must carry our cross, in order to attain the glory of the resurrection. And even in our faith walk, we are guaranteed for there to be difficulties and trials. But fear not these trials will purge us, and through them, God makes us holy. A spiritual father encourages us to look to the goal, and to pick up our cross to go the straight and narrow. A spiritual father says this with the confidence and hope of his own experience of being tested in the dangers and risks of life.

St. John of the Cross, and St. Louis de Montfort outline to drastically different ways to attain personal holiness. St. John of the Cross exhorts us along the Dark Night in order to attain the rewards and graces of holiness. St. Louis de Montfort invites us to the sweet and easy path to holiness, which is through Mary. Of course St. John doesnt challenge us to abandon all sweetness, and neither does St. Louis call us to run from the cross. But i just use those examples to go on and show some of the differences between spiritual motherhood and fatherhood and what is appropriate.

SHALOM

[HisChild]

Hmmm. . . while my style towards others is that of spiritual motherhood. . .I personally tend to read those who seem to outline the paths that would identify their own spiritual fatherhood. OK, I'm trying to figure out if that made any sense.

[shortnun]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 1 2006, 11:24 PM']Hmmm. . . while my style towards others is that of spiritual motherhood. . .I personally tend to read those who seem to outline the paths that would identify their own spiritual fatherhood.  OK, I'm trying to figure out if that made any sense.
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Okay... let me see if I'm getting this straight. On the spectrum of the spiritual life, you lean more towards motherhood than fatherhood. But in terms of your preferences in spiritual readings, you tend to go for the spiritual fathers?

[HisChild]

[quote name='shortnun' date='Apr 2 2006, 05:52 AM']Okay... let me see if I'm getting this straight. On the spectrum of the spiritual life, you lean more towards motherhood than fatherhood. But in terms of your preferences in spiritual readings, you tend to go for the spiritual fathers?
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No. I was looking at Mark's explanation. . .and by his explanation, I was thinking of my own preferences in spirituality. Let me try to explain. See his full post for everything as I'm only going to highlight.

[quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' date='Apr 1 2006, 10:21 PM']A spiritual father is always looking for danger, the hard path.  .  . .  A spiritual father encourages us to look to the goal, and to pick up our cross to go the straight and narrow.  A spiritual father says this with the confidence and hope of his own experience of being tested in the dangers and risks of life.

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Spiritual fathers. . .not to be confused with someone just because they are MEN, like Desert fathers. . .are those who take you along a more spiritually strenuous path, from what I've gleaned from this explanation. Because if you continue in his post . . .
[quote]St. John of the Cross, and St. Louis de Montfort outline to drastically different ways to attain personal holiness.  St. John of the Cross exhorts us along the Dark Night in order to attain the rewards and graces of holiness.  St. Louis de Montfort invites us to the sweet and easy path to holiness, which is through Mary.  Of course St. John doesnt challenge us to abandon all sweetness, and neither does St. Louis call us to run from the cross.  But i just use those examples to go on and show some of the differences between spiritual motherhood and fatherhood and what is appropriate.[/quote]

. . .you see that he is comparing St Louis de Montfort to that of a spiritual mother and St John of the Cross to that of a spiritual father. In the same way, one would compare St Therese (of Lisieux) to that of a spiritual mother, because she's all sweetness and light, saying that we must love, that it is not necessary to jump through all these spiritual warfare hurdles, etc. St Teresa of Avila, on the other hand, is more like a spiritual father, talking about interior perfection, dark nights, etc. In my own 'way', when anyone speaks to me about holiness. . .I talk to them about that loving your neighbor, dedicating yourself to the Virgin Mary, etc will bring one perfection and holiness. For MYSELF, I tend to get more, spiritually, from those who, by MC Imaginazun's explanation, would be considered a spiritual father.

Does that make any more sense, or is it as clear as mud and you're just as confused, if not more so?

Edited April 2, 2006 by PCPA2Be

[cmotherofpirl]

One is a lover , the other a warrior. More than just stylistic, different ways of thinking and being. I am partial to St Theresa of Avila myself.

[HisChild]

LOL I am a lover too. . .as I consider Him as my Divine Lover. . .but it's more than that for me.

[shortnun]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 2 2006, 10:49 AM']Does that make any more sense, or is it as clear as mud and you're just as confused, if not more so? 
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Yes yes yes, thanks for helping with that. I understand now.

And thanks to everyone who's contributed posts thus far.

[HisChild]

[quote name='shortnun' date='Apr 2 2006, 10:26 AM']Yes yes yes, thanks for helping with that. I understand now.

And thanks to everyone who's contributed posts thus far.
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Phew! I wasn't sure if that made sense. LOL

[MC IMaGiNaZUN]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Apr 2 2006, 09:58 AM']One is a lover , the other a warrior. [right][snapback]933217[/snapback][/right]
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I like this. I wish i had such clear and concise ways of describing, i get way into detail, and people get bored with my talking and typing.

But look at it this way.

Little boys, innately dream about being heros, fighting evil, saving the innocent. They want to earn their glory by their hard work and sacrifice. Thats why boys are into comic books and action figures.

Little girls, conversely dream about being married. They plan their wedding as girls. They dream of children, but most of all they want to be a princess. They want to recieve their glory as a free gift of love. Thats why girls are into princess fairy tales, and dolls.

I am not to say one is better than the other, or that people are limited. Manhood, and Womanhood is so much richer than this.

BTW, i would have a hard time calling St. Louis Montfort.

This further goes to show that Women's natural and supernatural gifts are not directed towards the Priesthood.

SHALOM

[HisChild]

[quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' date='Apr 2 2006, 12:43 PM']
BTW, i would have a hard time calling St. Louis Montfort.

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I'm not sure I follow. You'd have a hard time called him a priest? Or a saint? Or? And what do you mean by that? Because he's Marian? And if so, do you find yourself having the same difficulties. . .with say, St Maximillian Kolbe?

I'm truly not being critical, because there are saints that I've had issues with in the past, simply because of my own limited vision, or experience. Or rather, it takes me longer to understand them or what have you. I was just trying to figure out what you were saying with the emoticon.

:

[MC IMaGiNaZUN]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 2 2006, 12:54 PM']I'm not sure I follow.  [right][snapback]933342[/snapback][/right]
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Your not the first. I have a hard time following myself.

i meant to refer to St. Louis :priest halo: Montfort as a spiritual mother...

But as you can see in my cocky foolishness i have neglected to mention the most important humorous point i was trying to make.

But i don't think that St. Louis wants us to turn to him as Spiritual Mother, he is exhorting us to turn to Mary.

But oh well.

SHALOM