Hi LaSainte, :angel1:God bless you, that sounds like quite a weekend, with little children to watch and care for, and trying to do so much in a short amount of time!
I’m sure you’re more conscientious that I am, and applaud you for your very honest question. You were obviously very cognizant of other people’s sacrificing time and energy for you. I just want to say up front that it’s very good to ask these questions. I personally need to make sure I always plan things around the Mass, instead of exhausting myself with so many of my own activities that I leave no time for the most important time of the week, the Mass.
So, this is just my opinion here, and very kindly meant. I think these kinds of situations come up all the time and you’re not alone.
I personally have at times made such exhausting plans and then felt terrible that I didn’t put Mass first, so I show up at Mass completely exhausted sometimes.
We really do have to think of telling people that while we know they’re sacrificing for us for these kinds of plans, that we are Catholic and we make time for Mass. I’m certainly not perfect, but I’ve learned to forewarn myself by avoiding those weekend marathon plans because they easily can snowball:snowing: into nearly missing Mass or rushing off to Mass as if to "fit it in " giving it the lowest priority of all as if it were an inconvenience.
Obviously you were working very hard around the house, and then the consequence of that was that you couldn’t attend Mass and take the children by yourself. In a perfect world, everyone who is Catholic in this situation would announce, “Time to put away the hammers and get ready to leave for the church.” Two hours lost may indeed hurt your house selling plans, but Mass takes precedence.
It sounds as if the priority here, from the first planning mode, was, understandably selling the house in a very challenging time frame, asking for help, and getting everything in place.:christmastree1: Then the house cleaning itself was tiring and taking young children alone to Mass seemed impossible. Now there are times when just being a mother exhausts us to the point of real illness, or life suddenly throws us a real curve, a emergency circumstance that is unavoidable. That is perfectly understandable.
What I’m speaking of here is how we all sometimes fail to plan ahead when one of these marathon work parties (or guest’s arrivals, weekend events, etc. ) is certain to challenge our Mass attendance. I know I have to stop myself and put that big circle around the Sat. Vigil or Sunday Mass, and only then make other plans.
Often amid all the chaos, if we could plan ahead and tell our guests/family, visitors that of course we will take the time for Mass and be back to participate with them later (whether that’s working on a house or something else) we are able to stop ourselves from the very exhaustion we’re creating. Mass is our sacred obligation and also our joy.
Illness, :crutches:caring for children, for family who are ill, or the elderly who cannot be left alone, we all know those and other emergency situations which do allow us to stay home from Mass. But I’ve seen many people who plan elaborate family occasions or work parties on weekends, then leave no time at all for either a Saturday vigil Mass or Sunday morning. We exhaust ourselves with these weekend plans, and are then overwhelmed when we feel we have to give one hundred percent to everything but the Mass.
I believe most of us have gone through this. We can’t judge others, only ourselves, and I think your posting this is a reminder to me to always plan my activities AROUND THE MASS, and not the other way around. May God bless you for reminding us all not to tire ourselves out but instead, plan ahead to make sure that the Mass remains the center of our life.
Many blessings to you and your family,
Kathryn Ann:heaven::hug1:
