by Julie Wlotzko
#CatholicSchoolsWeek
Perhaps you may be wondering what spiritual motherhood really is. It is a type of motherhood that, by grace, can be experienced by any woman who, in living her call to holiness, nurtures divine life in the souls of those entrusted to her. This motherhood is lived in union with and imitation of our Blessed Mother, Mary.
As a young girl, my parents made the decision and commitment to send me to Catholic school. Despite the cost, they sacrificed in order to afford me this gift. The Lord blessed me with many amazing men and women throughout my Catholic education, from grade school through college, who became my teachers, mentors, and now friends. One in particular, my second grade teacher, Sr. Marcia, had a profound impact on me. I guess you might say she was my first spiritual mother. Every day I walked into her classroom, I was greeted with a love that knew no bounds. She not only instructed us in how to read and do math, but also challenged us to build an intimate relationship with Jesus, at the young age of seven. The joy of the Lord was evident in her relationship with us, and I knew even then that she cared for us as her own children. She lifted us up in prayer each day and sacrificed for us. Her presence in my life was just one of God's many small gifts in revealing His plan for my life. Like so many of us, after receiving a gift, I desired to return that gift to others. The gift of love and passionate faith-filled education given to me by Sr. Marcia spurred on my deep desire to pass that gift on to the young children I teach.
I know the Lord has carefully placed each and every child in my class over the past seven years. Some have taught me the virtue of patience. Some have gifted me with childhood joy that is so easily lost as an adult. Others have challenged me to look beyond the external and see the internal gifts they bring to the classroom. One allowed me to journey with him as he grieved the loss of his mother at much too young an age. Each of these children, and the many others, have touched me, molded me, changed me into who God asks me to be for Him and for others.
I am grateful for the gift of Catholic education. Not only did I receive the most precious gift of a solid education, but more importantly, I received the gift of learning to love and be loved by Jesus. As any mother holds fast to dreams for her children, so do I as a spiritual mother. I pray daily that I may meet Jesus in each of my students and that I may be His hands and feet here on earth, leading them close to Him.
St. Margaret of York…pray for us!
St. Julie Billiart…pray for us!
St. John Bosco…pray for us!
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