Some Thoughts Related to The Presentation of Jesus and World Day of Consecrated Life

                                                       (Wikimedia commons - public domain)

Thank you to all the women who made suggestions for blog post topics on the Catholic Nursing Mothers League Facebook group!  I hope to write on those topics soon!

Here is a nice reflection on the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on catholicmom.com.  Also, tonight might be a nice night to pray the fourth decade of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary with your little ones.

Breastfeeding was the norm during the time of Jesus.  Actually, most babies were nursed until 3 years of age.  When Mary presented Jesus in the Temple, he was just a tiny baby.  Mary was young;  I believe tradition says 13 or 14 years old?  Even though all the women around her nursed their babies, I still wonder if Mary, being a new mom, worried sometimes if she was holding and latching baby Jesus correctly?  Did she worry about if she had enough milk or if Jesus was gaining the right amount of weight?  I think some of these concerns that we have are due to modern society.  We do not trust nature.  I think that is why ecological breastfeeding is unpopular.

I would imagine Mary and all the local mothers got together and shared their mothering and breastfeeding experiences.  Today, many parishes and communities have moms’ groups and even breastfeeding support groups such as Catholic Nursing Mothers League groups.  However, I have noticed that sometimes modern mothers stay home and feel isolated.  That is why I think the Catholic Nursing Mothers League is so important and needed.  Moms can log onto our Facebook group even when they are unable to leave the house.  A mom to mom mentor can call her to just to check in on her and let her know that she cares.  A friend can request a care package of books or a nursing mother gift bag from CNML for her to encourage her.

Today is also World Day of Consecrated Life (actually it is also Candlemas, Groundhog Day, the Superbowl and the only palindrome day with 8 digits of the century!). Anyways, back to Consecrated Life Day.  Besides my love of my family and helping nursing moms,  I am also a devoted member of the Holy Family Institute which is a secular institute of consecrated life.  I have been a perpetually professed member since 2009.  Being an HFI member is really the best of both worlds - marriage and secular consecrated life.  Actually, one of the things that attracted me to HFI is the fact that I could do my formation within my own home and would not need to drive to a monthly meeting two hours away.  Plus, their annual retreat is very nursing baby and child friendly.