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deekod1967
Guest
I am struggling with a young family and wok pressures to find time to give to God, I cannot find examples from the lives of married Saints that hep in today’s hectic society, please help!
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Red_Meg
Guest
This topic is near and dear to my heart… I belong to Opus Dei, and our whole purpose is to help ordinary Christians (like you!) find God in the middle of everyday life.
I’m a little short on time right now (mountains of laundry) but just today I used this for my prayer-- escrivaworks.org/book/christ_is_passing_by-chapter-3.htm – a homily by St. Josemaria, Opus Dei’s founder, called “Marriage: a christian vocation.” While you’re on the escrivaworks website, poke around a bit and you may find some help from his writings.
But basically, the short answer to your question is that your young family and work pressures and hectic life aren’t obstacles to sanctity. They are the means. God wants you to become a saint right there-- offering up your difficulties, struggling to live the virtues, especially cheerfulness, and trying to turn all of it into a pleasing sacrifice to God.
Along with that, do your best to set aside at least a little bit of time for personal, mental prayer. Take fifteen minutes out of your lunch hour, if your schedule works that way. Or see if you can’t grab fifteen minutes after the kids are tucked into bed. Give God just a little bit of “face time” (even if you can’t physically be present before Him in the Blessed Sacrament) and he will reward you a hundredfold. If you have trouble praying, bringing some material to your prayer (like points from “The Way,” which is on the escrivaworks website mentioned above) can help a lot.
I hope this is at least a little help?
Margaret
I’m a little short on time right now (mountains of laundry) but just today I used this for my prayer-- escrivaworks.org/book/christ_is_passing_by-chapter-3.htm – a homily by St. Josemaria, Opus Dei’s founder, called “Marriage: a christian vocation.” While you’re on the escrivaworks website, poke around a bit and you may find some help from his writings.
But basically, the short answer to your question is that your young family and work pressures and hectic life aren’t obstacles to sanctity. They are the means. God wants you to become a saint right there-- offering up your difficulties, struggling to live the virtues, especially cheerfulness, and trying to turn all of it into a pleasing sacrifice to God.
Along with that, do your best to set aside at least a little bit of time for personal, mental prayer. Take fifteen minutes out of your lunch hour, if your schedule works that way. Or see if you can’t grab fifteen minutes after the kids are tucked into bed. Give God just a little bit of “face time” (even if you can’t physically be present before Him in the Blessed Sacrament) and he will reward you a hundredfold. If you have trouble praying, bringing some material to your prayer (like points from “The Way,” which is on the escrivaworks website mentioned above) can help a lot.
I hope this is at least a little help?
Margaret
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Red_Meg
Guest
This topic is near and dear to my heart… I belong to Opus Dei, and our whole purpose is to help ordinary Christians (like you!) find God in the middle of everyday life.
I’m a little short on time right now (mountains of laundry) but just today I used this for my prayer-- escrivaworks.org/book/christ_is_passing_by-chapter-3.htm – a homily by St. Josemaria, Opus Dei’s founder, called “Marriage: a christian vocation.” It’s not all directly related to your question, but it might help a bit. While you’re there, poke around a bit and you may find some help from his other writings, too.
But basically, the short answer to your question is that your young family and work pressures and hectic life aren’t obstacles to sanctity. They are the means. God wants you to become a saint right there-- offering up your difficulties, struggling to live the virtues, especially cheerfulness, and trying to turn all of it into a pleasing sacrifice to God.
Along with that, do your best to set aside at least a little bit of time for personal, mental prayer. Take fifteen minutes out of your lunch hour, if your schedule works that way. Or see if you can’t grab fifteen minutes after the kids are tucked into bed. Give God just a little bit of “face time” (even if you can’t physically be present before Him in the Blessed Sacrament) and he will reward you a hundredfold. If you have trouble praying, bringing some material to your prayer (like points from “The Way,” which is on the escrivaworks website mentioned above) can help a lot.
I hope this is at least a little help?
Margaret
I’m a little short on time right now (mountains of laundry) but just today I used this for my prayer-- escrivaworks.org/book/christ_is_passing_by-chapter-3.htm – a homily by St. Josemaria, Opus Dei’s founder, called “Marriage: a christian vocation.” It’s not all directly related to your question, but it might help a bit. While you’re there, poke around a bit and you may find some help from his other writings, too.
But basically, the short answer to your question is that your young family and work pressures and hectic life aren’t obstacles to sanctity. They are the means. God wants you to become a saint right there-- offering up your difficulties, struggling to live the virtues, especially cheerfulness, and trying to turn all of it into a pleasing sacrifice to God.
Along with that, do your best to set aside at least a little bit of time for personal, mental prayer. Take fifteen minutes out of your lunch hour, if your schedule works that way. Or see if you can’t grab fifteen minutes after the kids are tucked into bed. Give God just a little bit of “face time” (even if you can’t physically be present before Him in the Blessed Sacrament) and he will reward you a hundredfold. If you have trouble praying, bringing some material to your prayer (like points from “The Way,” which is on the escrivaworks website mentioned above) can help a lot.
I hope this is at least a little help?
Margaret
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faithful2005
Guest
By making a morning offering, you are giving your whole day to God. In essence, it makes all of your day a prayer:
Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the most hands of Mary, I offer Thee all of the prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, all the actions of this day and of all my life, in union with the Masses being offered all over the world, for the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart and for the Apostleship of Prayer. Every breath I draw, every beating of my heart, every single act I do, I wish to be an act of my love for Thee. Amen.
You can pray in the car or even in the shower. This can be memorized fairly quickly. This is an easy way to give God your whole day, everyday.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the most hands of Mary, I offer Thee all of the prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, all the actions of this day and of all my life, in union with the Masses being offered all over the world, for the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart and for the Apostleship of Prayer. Every breath I draw, every beating of my heart, every single act I do, I wish to be an act of my love for Thee. Amen.
You can pray in the car or even in the shower. This can be memorized fairly quickly. This is an easy way to give God your whole day, everyday.
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DaveBj
Guest
Married saint? I would imagine a good place to start would be simply putting up with your spouse 
Red Meg, I investigated Opus Dei last year after I was confirmed, but HQ told me there weren’t any in my area of Alabama, so I gave it up.
Faithful, I modified that prayer, and for a while I was saying it after my morning prayer routine; however, I’ve gotten out of the habit. I need to get back into it.
DaveBj
Red Meg, I investigated Opus Dei last year after I was confirmed, but HQ told me there weren’t any in my area of Alabama, so I gave it up.
Faithful, I modified that prayer, and for a while I was saying it after my morning prayer routine; however, I’ve gotten out of the habit. I need to get back into it.
DaveBj
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StephanieC
Guest
Have you learned more about St. Gianna Beretta Molla, wife and mother and physician?
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havemercy
Guest
I think we could increase the number if we tried. 
haha
haha
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leonie
Guest
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havemercy
Guest
Do Joseph and Mary count? 
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HailMary
Guest
Marriage is a saint-making-machine!
Thats the point!
Don’t confuse this with a cannonizable saint thou. Those saints are usually cannonizable because of extraordinary lives. Although, St. Rita’ clearly shows this can be an exception.
Thats the point!
Don’t confuse this with a cannonizable saint thou. Those saints are usually cannonizable because of extraordinary lives. Although, St. Rita’ clearly shows this can be an exception.
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deekod1967
Guest
Many thanks one and all for your comments, I also have afllen away from Daily Consecration I need to get back to this also. I was interested to read of the various examples given of married people living Holy Lives and your thoughts on how to go about it. I have been reading Fr. Dubay’s book “Fire WIthin” on Carmelite spirituality, and I feel I am drawn to this and long to enter the 7th Teresian Mansion. The basic requirement would seem to detach oneself from anything that does not bring us closer to God and be determined to take every opportunity to pray both vocally & meditatively and God-willing also in comtemplation. I feel drawn to say morning and evening prayer (LOTH), Rosary, Night Prayer and of course daily meditative/contemplative prayer.
I try every day to do the above, but I usually fail, worryingly it seems more and more pointless to try. I hate to make excuses but we have an 18 mth old daughter and a new arrival due any day now, how can I get make time for both God and my family?
I try every day to do the above, but I usually fail, worryingly it seems more and more pointless to try. I hate to make excuses but we have an 18 mth old daughter and a new arrival due any day now, how can I get make time for both God and my family?
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Em_in_FL
Guest
Your statements make it sound like family and God COMPETE for your time???
You have chosen your vocation… to be a wife and mother. THAT is where God is in your life…
While the contempletive life is a beautiful thing to strive for, don’t let it compete with where God has already led you. If you were meant to join the religious life where this type of prayer life would be normative, then He would have led you there…
Make your vocation your prayer life… your marriage and your motherhood… trying to be something else may compete with where God wants you to be.
God bless.
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deekod1967
Guest
Thanks Em that is definitely food for thought - just one thing though - I am a Father not a Mother! - but I still understand what you mean
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Em_in_FL
Guest
OOPS! I’m an idiot. :banghead:
LOL… that’s what I get for not checking profiles… just call me clueless!
Let’s just substitute all those “mother and wife” comments for “father and husband”, 'kay?
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Alison
Guest
How to become a married Saint, you ask? Check this Catholic website out for some help:
“Married life: an occasion for God’s presence on earth”
The simple answer is: sanctify your daily work to God. The simple and the ordinary are what God finds the most extraordinary.
Love,
-Alison
“Married life: an occasion for God’s presence on earth”
The simple answer is: sanctify your daily work to God. The simple and the ordinary are what God finds the most extraordinary.
Love,
-Alison
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Rach620
Guest
I recently came across this article about the Quattrocchis, the first married couple to be beatified (by JPII) for living their married life extraordinarily. Their story is an inspiration for anyone seeking holiness in their vocation to marriage.
The Martins, St. Therese of Lisieux’s parents, are also an inspirational model for Catholic family life. I’m not sure if anything has been written specifically about them, or if all we know is ‘secondhand’ from Therese’s letters and Story of a Soul. I remember hearing a while ago that they were on the road to beatification–does anyone know if that is true?
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StephanieC
Guest
I believe they are still called “Venerable(s),” as this link would seem to indicate. Don’t know if it’s up to date.
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