October is the feast day month of my patron saint and bestest spiritual friend, Therese of Lisieux. One of my favorite quotes from her writings is: my vocation is love. While these beautiful words were written by a cloistered Carmelite nun whose life and mission was so very different from my own, I've long considered it the perfect anthem for all women - and particularly for mothers.
Amidst the laundry piles and dirty dishes and backyard squabbles and another day of messy hair or up all night, let us remember that our calling is to love big and love well, right where God has us in this present moment.
From this perspective of a calling to love, all of our womanly callings, duties, and tasks flow.
Are we called to serve? Yes - from a place of love.
Are we called to give? Yes - for the sake of love.
Are we called to sacrifice? Yes, all for love.
Are we called to be fruitful? Yes, receptive to life-giving love.
Are we called to accept? Yes, trusting in Love Himself.
More than any other habit, anchoring my day in prayer has been the key to helping me live my vocation to love. Reading a chapter a day of Scripture in the morning, reciting a prayer or two before bedtime from my Mother Love devotional, spending just a few minutes in Lectio Divina or brain dumping thoughts, prayers, and meditations in my journal while I drink a warm beverage - even if only for a few minutes each day, these habits have helped me live out my calling to love.
I designed our newest mother & home sweatshirt and t-shirt after reflecting on the beautiful witness of a mother’s vocation to love. The shirts read in French: ma vocation, c’est l’amour - which translates to “my vocation is love.” I chose to proclaim these beautiful words in Saint Therese’s native tongue as a reminder of her witness to women throughout the whole world that we are all called to love.
I hope these newest pieces from mother & home are a cozy reminder for your own motherhood.