Deacon Tom

Looking Closer at the Hail Mary: MARY

February 28, 2012 By Sarah Reinhard 2 Comments

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

A reflection on the word “MARY”

By Deacon Tom Fox

When Sarah approached me some time ago about writing about the Blessed Virgin, my first reaction was to demur because anything and everything ever needed to be said about the Mother of Jesus has already been written. And all the words written about her were written by saints and scholars and mystics and by visionaries. What then could I write?

Now there was an interesting twist to Sarah’s invitation, and that was the idea of writing about the word MARY. That is, writing about her name.

I should have immediately started with prayer, but what first came to mind related to my Irish heritage. I thought of the patriotic songwriter George M. Cohan who wrote a song that has these words:

For it is Mary, Mary

Plain as any name can be

… And there is something there

that sounds so square

It’s a grand old name

Yes – Mary is a grand old name.

I seem to remember my mother, who’s name, coincidentally was Mary playing that song on our basement piano while dad played the fiddle. May God rest their souls.

While researching for a theme and construct for this Lenten Marian task, I found a 2008 column by Nick Alexander. He wrote about the Top Ten Mary Songs. I have no idea who voted in this and how much of a population sample was approached for it. Nonetheless, some songs are familiar to me; some not so much. Listed in order, the Top Ten Mary songs and the artists who performed them include:

-Queen of Heaven by Mark Mallett

-Mary’s Song by Sean Clive

-Hail Mary, Gentle Woman, by Gretchen Harris

-Medjugorje, by Paul Harrigan

-Magnificat, by Fr. Kent O’Connor

-Do Whatever He Tells You by Nick Cardilino

-Song to Our Lady of Guadalupe by Annie Karto

-Ode to Mary by Mark Mallett

-Ave Maria by Trish Genco

and -Queen of Apostles by Nancy Krebs

Again, I don’t know who voted for these top songs about Mary — but I’ve always loved the Ave Maria and songs by Annie Karto and Nancy Krebs. But what do these tell us of Mary? What book or article or popular song could express things of Mary that speak anew to my heart? Or to yours?

Up to now, my thoughts have been a form of Marian rambling as I lead to some main focus words about Mary found in an ancient song called MARY THE DAWN. I discovered this hymn during my first year as a deacon candidate when we purchased our Divine Office books – the Liturgy of the Hours.

I had never heard of Mary the Dawn before then. In just fourteen lines, I found a sensitive theology for ordinary folks which beautifully and tenderly describes the Incarnation and the intimacy between Mother and Son. All but lost in history, these words were likely a poem about Mary, and about the totally unique relationship which exists between the Tabernacle and The God-son reposed in her. May I introduce you to

MARY THE DAWN

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;

Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root and Christ the Mystic Vine;

Mary the grape and Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;

Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;

Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord;

Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest,

Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest.

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s son

By all things blest, while endless ages run. Amen.

And so, the center of my reflection on Mary is found in this poem made hymn. I hope it touches you as it did me.

However, I’d like not to end this without suggesting something further that speaks to the name MARY. If you are a devotee, you are aware that there are many titles for our Blessed Mother. There is no person from our Christian Scripture and heritage who has been so honored as to the quantity or the scope of the titles as our Mother Mary.

So here is a non-exhaustive list which I offer to you for Lenten meditation. Perhaps you’d be willing to reproduce this list, and counting the number of days left in Lent from the time you read this, pick that number of titles. Then, each day contemplate and pray about about Mary under one of her unique and honorary titles.

TITLES FOR MARY

Adam’s Deliverance
Advocate of Eve
Advocate of Sinners
All Chaste
All Fair and Immaculate
All Good
Aqueduct of Grace
Archetype of Purity and Innocence
Ark Gilded by the Holy Spirit
Ark of the Covenant
Assumed into Heaven
Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Blessed Among Women
Blessed Virgin Mary
Bridal Chamber of the Lord
Bride of Christ
Bride of Heaven
Bride of the Canticle
Bride of the Father
Bride Unwed
Cause of Our Joy
Chosen Before the Ages
Comfort of Christians
Comforter of the Afflicted
Conceived Without Original Sin
Consoler of the Afflicted
Court of the Eternal King
Created Temple of the Creator
Crown of Virginity
Daughter of Men
David’s Daughter
Deliverer From All Wrath
Deliverer of Christian Nations
Destroyer of Heresies
Dispenser of Grace
Dwelling Place for God
Dwelling Place Meet for God
Dwelling Place of the Spirit
Earth Unsown
Earth Untouched and Virginal
Eastern Gate
Espousal of the Virgin Mary
Eve’s Tears Redeeming
Ever Green and Fruitful
Ever Virgin
Exalted Above the Angels
Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lady of Sorrows
Immaculate Conception
Flower of Carmel
Flower of Jesse’s Root
Formed Without Sin
Fountain of Living Water
Free From Every Stain
Full of Grace
Garden Enclosed
Gate of Heaven
God’s Eden
God’s Olive Tree
God’s Vessel
Handmaiden of the Lord
Healing Balm of Integrity
Health of the Sick
Helper of All in Danger
Holy in Soul and Body
Holy Mountain of Our Lady
Holy Protection of the Mother of God
Hope of Christians
House Built by Wisdom
House of Gold
Most Humble
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Heart
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Mother
Immaculate Virgin
Incorruptible Wood of the Ark
Inviolate One
Joseph’s Spouse
King’s Mother
Lady Most Chaste
Lady Most Venerable
Lady of Good Help
Lady of Grace
Lady of Mercy
Lady of Peace
Lady of Perpetual Help
Lady of Sorrows
Lady of the Rosary
Lady of Victory
Lamp Unquenchable
Life-Giver to Posterity
Light Cloud of Heavenly Rain
Lily Among Thorns
Living Temple of the Deity
Loom of the Incarnation
Madonna of Miracles
Madonna of Saint Luke
Madonna of Miracles
Marketplace for Salutary Exchange
Mary of the Assumptions
Mary of the Hurons
Mary the Blessed Virgin
Mary, Blessed Virgin
Mary, Help of Christians
Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces
Mary, Mother of God
Mary, Queen of Africa
Mary, Queen of Angels
Mary, Queen of Peace
Mary, Star of the Sea
Mary, Virgin Mother of Grace
Mary’s Immaculate Conception
Mater Dei
Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mediatrix
Mediatrix of All Graces
Mediatrix of Salvation
Mediatrix of the Mediator
Minister of Life
Mirror of Justice
More Beautiful Than Beauty
More Glorious Than Paradise
More Gracious Than Grace
More Holier Than the Cherubim,

the Seraphim, and the Entire Angelic Hosts

Morning Star
Most Holy Name of Mary
Most Venerable
Mother and Virgin
Mother Inviolate
Mother Most Admirable
Mother Most Amiable
Mother Most Chaste
Mother Most Pure
Mother of Christ’s Members
Mother of Christians
Mother of Divine Grace
Mother of God
Mother of Good Counsel
Mother of Jesus Christ
Mother of Men
Mother of Our Creator
Mother of Our Head
Mother of Our Savior
Mother of the Church
Mother of the Mystical Body
Mother of Wisdom
Mother Undefiled
My Body’s Healing
My Soul’s Saving
Mystical Rose
Nature’s Re-Creation
Nature’s Restoration
Neck of the Mystical Body
Never Fading Wood
New Eve
Notre Dame of Paris
Notre Dame of Chartres
Notre Dame of Easton
Nourisher of God and Man
Olive Tree of the Father’s Compassion
Only Bridge of God to Men
Our Immaculate Queen
Our Lady in America
Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace
Our Lady of Africa
Our Lady of Arabia
Our Lady of Bethlehem
Our Lady of Calvary
Our Lady of Charity
Our Lady of Consolation
Our Lady of Czestochowa
Our Lady of Europe
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Our Lady of Good Help
Our Lady of Grace
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of High Grace
Our Lady of Hungary
Our Lady of Japan
Our Lady of Knock
Our Lady of La Leche
Our Lady of LaSallette
Our Lady of Lebanon
Our Lady of Limerick
Our Lady of Loretto
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Mercy
Our Lady of Miracles
Our Lady of Montserrat
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Nazareth
Our Lady of Peace
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Our Lady of Pilar
Our Lady of Pompeii
Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Our Lady of Providence
Our Lady of Ransom
Our Lady of Safe Travel
Our Lady of Saint Luke
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Tears
Our Lady of the Americas
Our Lady of the Angels
Our Lady of the Assumption
Our Lady of the Cape
Our Lady of the Conquest
Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt
Our Lady of the Golden Heart
Our Lady of the Gulf
Our Lady of the Hermits
Our Lady of the Highways
Our Lady of the Holy Letter
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
Our Lady of the Holy Souls
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of the Incarnation
Our Lady of the Kodiak and the Islands
Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery
Our Lady of Miracles
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary
Our Lady of the Pillar of Saragossa
Our Lady of the Pines
Our Lady of the Prairie
Our Lady of the Presentation
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Snow
Our Lady of the Snows
Our Lady of the Thorns
Our Lady of the Valley
Our Lady of the Wayside
Our Lady of the Woods
Our Lady of Victories
Our Lady of Victory
Our Lady of Washington
Our Lady Who Appeared
Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy
Our Lady, Gate of Heaven
Our Lady, Help of Christians
Our Lady, Mother of the Church
Our Lady, Queen of All Saints
Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles
Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners
Our Own Sweet Mother
Paradise Fenced Against the Serpent
Paradise of Innocence and Immortality
Paradise of the Second Adam
Paradise Planted by God
Patronage of Our Lady
Patroness and Protectress
Perfume of Faith
Presentation of Mary at the Temple
Preserved From All Sin
Protectress From All Hurt
Purification of Mary
Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Queen of All Saints
Queen of Angels
Queen of Creation
Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven and Earth
Queen of Martyrs
Queen of Nigeria
Queen of Peace
Queen Unconquered
Queenship of Mary
Refuge in Time of Danger
Refuge of Sinners
Rich in Mercy
Rose Ever Blooming
Salve Regina
Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit
Scepter of Orthodoxy
Seat of Wisdom
Second Eve
Singular Vessel of Devotion
Sister and Mother
Source of Virginity
Spiritual Vessel
Spotless Dove of Beauty
Star of the Sea
Star That Bore the Sea
Suppliant for Sinners
Surpassing Eden’s Gardens
Surpassing the Heavens
Surpassing the Seraphim
Sweet Flowering and Gracious Mercy
Tabernacle of God
Tabernacle of the Word
Temple Divine
Temple Indestructible
Temple of the Lord’s Body
Theotokos
Throne of the King
Tower of David
Tower of Ivory
Tower Unassailable
Treasure House of Life
Treasure of Immortality
Treasure of the World Undefiled
Undefiled Treasure of Virginity
Un-dug Well of Remission’s Waters
Unlearned in the Ways of Eve
Unplowed Field of Heaven’s Bread
Unwatered Vineyard of Immortality’s Wine
Vessel of Honor
Victor Over the Serpent
Virgin by the Sea
Virgin Inviolate
Virgin Most Faithful
Virgin Most Merciful
Virgin Most Powerful
Virgin Most Prudent
Virgin Most Pure
Virgin Mother
Virgin of Charity
Virgin of Virgins
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Wedded to God
Woman Clothed With the Sun
Workshop of the Incarnation

Excuse the length of this reflection. There are no words which can describe MARY – the grand old name in God’s plan for His Son and in His plans for our salvation.

There isn’t a word of the Hail Mary prayer that is more powerful and more grace-productive than the word MARY. May she intercede for each of us who read these words.

Blessings!

–

Deacon Tom Fox has been an amazing witness to me on the topics of living your Catholic faith and keeping a sense of tenderness and humor simultaneously. You’ll find him at his website and you can hear him and his lovely wife, Dee, on the Catholic Vitamins podcast. He’s also involved in the Catholic Family podcast, the Paul’s Men podcast, and at CatholicMom.com.

image credit

Filed Under: Faith, guest post, Inspired by the Virgin Mary, Looking Closer at the Hail Mary Tagged With: Catholic, Deacon Tom, Faith, guest post, Hail Mary, prayer, Virgin Mary

I Remember Mama

August 1, 2011 By Sarah Reinhard Leave a Comment

A Special Mary Moment Monday Post by Deacon Tom Fox

It is an honor to be asked by a wordsmith to do an e-guest appearance and to submit a column on a topic that may interest or invite readership. I best not tarry.

One would guess that the profile of readers who frequent this area wouldn’t have a clue what the title “I Remember Mama” is about. Those of us a few hours earlier than most readers may recall a play and a television series from the late 1940’s and well into the 1950’s.

It was a story set in one of our old haunts – San Francisco. I Remember Mama featured an immigrant family: the Hansens who came from Norway. Mama (Irene Dunne in the movie, Peggy Wood in the TV series) was the focal point of the show, although it was told through the eyes of the daughter, Katrin.

One of the television lines used in the opening of the show each week was spoken by Katrin: “I remember the big white house on Steiner Street, and my little sister Dagmar, and my big brother Nels, and Papa. But most of all, I remember Mama.”

This was a show set in what seemed a wonderfully wholesome time in our country. We followed the Hansens in the simplest, most normal of daily joys and sorrows and goals.

In fact, that show is the way I now view my family life as I grew up on the East Side of Detroit.

One of my memories of my mom was her sitting at the kitchen table with me in my early years. Mom made me memorize prayers and multiplication tables. I wasn’t much good at math in those years — but I knew the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity and the Morning Offering and the Act of Contrition. It is so sad that modern parenting doesn’t support such upbringing.

Mom died in 2004. My wife Dee and I were living in San Francisco at the time. We knew where Steiner Street is, we knew and loved the City by the Bay, and we had tried to get my mom to relocate from Detroit to be near us. We even had a placed picked out for her. At the near last minute, she balked at moving and our plans fell apart. Skip to 2004.

Mom suffered from congestive heart failure in her final months. Her doctor told me it was ‘end-stage.’ He said that she would pass in days or a few weeks. But it was months, and I made three trips between San Francisco and the east side of Detroit. Mom was in a nursing home. Some visit days were bright and cheerful. Some were quite depressing. Lack of oxygen to her brain made Mom strangely incoherent from time to time.

They called me on a Friday in July from the place where she was. The staffer said my mom told them she was going to die the next day and she wanted to speak to me. By the time I was able to get to a place where I could call her room and speak to her – she was back to being very garbled. And true to her prediction — she did die the next afternoon. How’s that for spiritual or spooky or some such?

After the funeral, we began to take mom’s apartment apart. These furniture items were donated to this daughter. These things to another daughter. Those items over there were to go to San Francisco and be with us. Lots of items were donated to a St. Vincent De Paul sort of facility.

Mom left a most surprising gift. As we went through the remnants of her life, one of the things I found was an old roll of Kodak film. It had apparently been exposed but never developed. Months after returning to San Francisco, I came upon the film and decided to take it to a camera shop on West Portal Street. A week later, more as afterthought, I stopped to pick up whatever may have developed from the film.

As you see in this article — there are two pictures. One is of my family – it must have been taken about 1949. Left to right, there is a very young Deacon Tom, my dad, Thomas, my mom Mary, and brother Eddie, may God rest their souls. The lower picture is of our home on the east side of Detroit. Quick math shows that we found and printed pictures from about 55 years earlier in our family. What a gift.

I remember Mama. She was a lovely woman. She was a prayerful, holy woman. She could be a task mistress. She is, almost certainly in Heaven.

I remember you, Mom. And I’m so glad you never gave up on me, though from time to time, it might have been warranted. I pray for you and Dad and Eddie nearly every day at Mass. I thank you. I love you.

–

Deacon Tom, together with his lovely wife Dee, is the magic behind the weekly nourishment you’ll find at Catholic Vitamins. He’s online at DeaconTomOnline.com, writes for CatholicMom.com and Catholic Family, in addition to the work he does for his diocese and within his own family.

–

Note from Sarah: Though Deacon Tom did not submit this guest post to be a Mary Moment Monday post, when I read it, I couldn’t resist sharing it in this space as a Mary Moment Monday post.

Filed Under: guest post, Inspired by the Virgin Mary, Mary Moment Mondays Tagged With: Deacon Tom, family, guest post, Mary Moment Monday, memories, Virgin Mary, wisdom

Being the Vitamin

April 10, 2011 By Sarah Reinhard 2 Comments

It has been an honor and a pleasure to count Deacon Tom and his lovely wife Dee as close friends and spiritual influences for the last couple of years.

That in no way prepared me, though, for the recent interview with him.

Me, a vitamin?

Well, not exactly. The vitamin is Writing. I’m just the person on the other end of the phone.

It was a great conversation, and I hope you enjoy it.

I also wrote a little piece for their website, The Gift of Country Living. I wrote it, actually, right after I got off the phone with him. I found myself just itching to write it (and not just because there was another project I was supposed to be working on).

My favorite part of the entire project was the chance to describe a little bit more about my husband. I haven’t listened back to it yet, but I do think that this interview will be one of the main inspirations for pulling together a more coherent “part 1″ of my conversion story.

Thanks to Deacon Tom and Dee for the chance to be a part of one of my favorite podcasts!

–

At CatholicMom.com, I have a review up of a CD that would be a great Easter present, birthday present, First Communion present…well, I liked it. I liked it A LOT. Check it out!

Filed Under: podcasts, writing Tagged With: Catholic Vitamins, CatholicMom.com, Deacon Tom, podcasts, writing

In Others’ Words

January 13, 2011 By Sarah Reinhard 2 Comments

A quote worth sharing (and re-sharing)

I have shared this quote here before, and I’m sure this won’t be the last time. I put it in my email signature long ago, intending to change it, and I never have. Because, well, because it rings so true, over and over.

“Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.”

- St. Francis de Sales

A new podcast

It’s been a while since I’ve raved about Julie Davis, the lovely hostess at Forgotten Classics, blog mistress at Happy Catholic, and the one I credit for hooking me into the fun of blogging. Never one to let an opportunity pass her by, she has teamed with Scott from SFFaudio to combine their love of fiction with a Catholic perspective in a new podcast, “A Good Story is Hard to Find.”

Let’s just say that A Good Story is Hard to Find is going to be leaping to the top of my playlist with every episode. Especially if they keep it as great as they did in the first episode. (They almost talked me into reading two ZOMBIE books, despite the fact that I’ve vowed to purchase/borrow no books for at least six months.)

Something extra

Every week (or so), I take my Catholic Vitamins. It can be no accident that this week’s vitamin, “L”, is “listening.”

I am trying to listen this year.

You should too. It’s a great show in general, and this one, in particular, really spoke to my one-word resolution this year.

Filed Under: podcasts, Quotes Tagged With: Catholic, Catholic Vitamins, Deacon Tom, Julie Davis, podcasts, Quotes

Odds and Ends in Seven

October 23, 2009 By Sarah Reinhard 3 Comments

7_quick_takes_sm

–1–

Have you listened to this week’s Catholic Moments? No? What are you waiting for? There’s a Mary Moment with Deacon flair! Deacon Tom Fox and I discuss devotion to the Blessed Mother, including the self consecration to Mary, Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary, the Madonna House, and my column on Our Lady of Combermere. Don’t forget to contact Deacon Tom at his Catholic Vitamins podcast to get one of the free copies of the “Discerning Your Gifts” brochure.

–2–

This look says it all. I’m pretty sure she learned this look from me.

–3–

I haven’t opened Google Reader in six days. I’ve just been too busy away from my computer. On the one hand, I have a pile of blog posts to read. On the other hand, I think it was probably a good thing for this week. I’m getting a hint at the kind of silence Advent is going to involve…a different kind of silence than last year.

–4–

Here’s a look that makes me smile. How about you?

–5–

Fall is in full swing here in Ohio, and this week we have had a taste of Indian summer. That means that not only has it been near 70 every day, but I’m realizing why I hate fall.

Yes, that’s right. I hate fall, for many of the same reasons I hate spring. (I’d be remiss not to mention that I also love them. Oh yes, I do!)

There’s something in my office closet; I saw it leaping earlier. I was so proud of myself for not screaming and waking the house, but I’ll admit that the leaping bug-monster is nothing to the ding-bang-scratch noises the wasps make on the windows. Then there’s the ladybug population. The crickets have died or hibernated, but the wasps and the ladybugs have not. Thanks to the unrenovated downstairs, we have some, ahem, cracks and places for these creations of God to join us in our humble home.

Does my house have a sign on it inviting the creepy crawlies to come on in? Wasps, in particular, must find us good company.

Ah, well, it could be worse. They could be scorpions.

–6–

During last weekend’s birthday festivities, I let my four-year-old use my camera. She took this picture of me. (It was one of the only in focus shots, and it might be one of my better smiles, though seeing pictures of myself always sort of makes me wince.)

–7–

This week, we went to the zoo. We arranged it weeks ago, with me taking the afternoon off office work and coordinating it with a friend. We were pretty sure, with our crazy cold Ohio weather this year, that we might be using Plan B instead of the zoo. And then the weather turned out to be sunny and 70-plus. The trees are at their peak, I think, and I can’t resist sharing the joy of autumn colors with you:

Conversion Diary is the Quick Takes headquarters, so be sure to stop by for this week’s round-up!

Filed Under: Inspired by the Virgin Mary, podcasts, Quick Takes Tagged With: Catholic Moments, Deacon Tom, family, pictures, podcasts, Quick Takes, seasons, Virgin Mary, wasps

This and That

October 10, 2009 By Sarah Reinhard 1 Comment

The end-of-week linkage:

This week’s Catholic Moments features Deborah Schaben and her pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Deacon Tom and I combined the Deacon Moment and Mary Moment and discussed my conversion to the Catholic Faith and how Mary was close to me during my journey into the Church. And, big news! We are thrilled to announce our partnership with CatholicMatch.com as they begin sponsoring this podcast. Please support CatholicMatch.com and be sure to enter our current CatholicMatch.com for your opportunity to win a three month membership to the Leading Catholic Singles Community.
Over at CatholicMom.com, you’ll find my latest column: “The Hardest Prayer I Have to Say“

The story of grace on a Friday:

storm-clouds-oly1739_blog My mood matched the gray weather outside. I found myself yelling at the dog and the kids. Things weren’t going well, in my head or during my day.

Sometimes, when this happens, I’m fortunate enough to have a friend or family member who I can pop in on, and my extroverted tendencies will pull me out of my funk. But on that gloomy Friday, my only hope was the grocery store.

I rounded the kids up with a promise of going to McDonald’s and eating inside. It got them moving, but once the car was moving, I promptly forgot the eating inside part of the deal. As I pulled into the drive-thru, my four-year-old called from the back, “Hey! You said we could eat inside!”

It sounded like a good idea in the house, but faced with the parking lot and the image of frowning faces and hyper kids and…well, you get the idea.

But I had promised. And she was excited.

I sighed a big sigh and found a parking spot.

There was a line inside, and it looked like we were going to get Mean Grouchy Person as our cashier. A woman with a boy who looked about four offered to let me go first, but I declined. “No, you were here. Really. We’re in no hurry. Thanks, though.” My kids were being good, but I could feel that my hold on the storm inside me was slight, bound to slip at any moment.

And that’s when it happened. It was just a little thing, hardly worth mentioning.

The tall man in the immaculate suit held out his hand and said, “Your turn,” letting me go next with a graciousness that I hope to someday emulate. Then, after the juggling act of holding the almost-two-year-old while carrying the tray and getting drinks, I found myself in front of him again. As I put the lid on my iced tea, I said something about being in his way, and he replied, “You’re doing a great job, Mom.”

That’s all. Just a few words of encouragement from a stranger in a nice suit at our small town McDonald’s.

Later, as I was trying to keep the toddler seated and the four-year-old eating (she had chosen a seat right beside that mom with the young boy, and had a dialogue going), an older woman, who had been eyeing us, came over and smiled at me. “You have such beautiful children,” she said.

Sitting by that other young mom, who I ended up exchanging phone numbers with (shock!), I couldn’t help but feel the Hand of God. It wasn’t a bolt of lightening or a sign in the sky, but it was encouragement at a point when I really needed it.

And for that, I’m grateful.

Filed Under: Inspired by the Virgin Mary, Mary Moment Segments, Motherhood, podcasts, writing Tagged With: Catholic Moments, CatholicMom.com, Deacon Tom, Faith, gratitude, Motherhood, podcasts, Virgin Mary, writing

But aren’t tears BAD?

October 3, 2009 By Sarah Reinhard Leave a Comment

A short excerpt from my latest column at CatholicMom.com, “Tears as a Gift?“:

A while back, Deacon Tom Fox wrote a column in this space called “The Gift of Tears.” I’m a dry-eyed gal most of the time, and I have always prided myself on that trait.

Nothing says “practical farm girl” quite like dry eyes.

Then I started going to Mass.

I certainly didn’t mean to turn into a blubbering mess. At the time, I was a tough know-it-all college graduate, and I was only there because this good-looking Prince Charming of mine insisted that he had to go before we could go on a date.

My ego and I often don’t fit in the same room at the same time, and I had to go to Mass to find out what all the fuss was about.

And I found tears.

Not just sniffly, polite tears. Not just leaky-eye tears. Not just moisture-and-trickle tears.

No, what I found were gallons of tears, buckets of tears, oceans of tears.

Read the rest at CatholicMom.com.