I’m not actually sure if what I’m seeing in front of me is real life. Does this sign on my desk honestly say… seven days until Christmas? One week?? When did this happen? I had so many plans, so many things I wanted to do to prepare throughout Advent. But then lab tests and doctor appointments (followed by more lab tests because they messed up my first ones) and ultrasounds and my beautiful baby shower happened, and now somehow Christmas is next week and I’ve accomplished… next to nothing? But better late than never, I did finally finish putting together a set of reflections I really wanted to focus on during this time. Though it follows the order of the Rosary, I won't (can't?) call it one because it involves “mysteries” (which I’ve just referred to as reflections in an attempt to not copy the Rosary) that I wrote myself. Instead, I’ve simply called it my Journey Through Advent with Mary. As a woman nearing the end of her pregnancy - just two months to go! - this is how I wanted to spend Advent: journeying through the Nativity story with Mary. You can pray this using Rosary beads. I had originally changed many things, but for the sake of making it easy to use and remember, I did end up keeping the same prayer structure (Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.) as would typically be prayed during the Rosary, though I do not say the Fatima Prayer or the Hail Holy Queen for this. The only real difference is the reflections I use in place of the traditional mysteries. They are written below, and if you keep scrolling you can download a printable set of them. Note: There is no replacement for the Rosary, I know. This is just something I wanted to try praying now that I am pregnant during Advent. I’m trying to use this time to draw closer to Mary, and this is helping me to do so. If you are also pregnant during this time I hope you’re able to get something out of it as well. FIRST REFLECTIONIn the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. -- Luke 1:26 Though Mary was “greatly troubled” at the greeting from the angel Gabriel, we may feel greatly troubled upon learning of the life growing inside of us. Will we be good parents? Will the baby be healthy? Will I? These are only some of the anxieties that newly pregnant women may face. But in these moments we must keep the angel Gabriel’s words in mind: do not be afraid. God has given us this honor, and He will see us through it. Reflect upon how you first felt when you found out you were pregnant, and how Mary must have felt. SECOND REFLECTIONThe Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is His name. -- Luke 1:49 To be the one chosen to bring this specific life into the world, to be responsible for this precious soul, is a great honor bestowed upon us by God. He has truly done great things for us. Reflect upon your gratitude for this gift from the Lord, giving Him thanks. Just as Mary was specifically chosen to be the mother of Jesus, we have been specifically chosen to be the mothers of our children. THIRD REFLECTIONShe wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. -- Luke 2:7 Despite our greatest intentions and despite our well-thought out birth plans; our pregnancies, labors, and deliveries may not always go the way we had hoped. Still, just as God provided a safe space for the Holy Family in the stable when the inn was full, He will provide for us. We are in His care. Reflect upon the security of knowing that God is in control, that nothing happens that has not been seen by Him. FOURTH REFLECTIONAnd you yourself a sword will pierce. -- Luke 2:35 Though motherhood is filled with some of the greatest joys we will ever experience, it is not without its hardships. We cannot always protect our children from this world, and at times may see them suffer and struggle. Even Mary was not spared from this. Let us ask Mary for help in these difficult moments. FIFTH REFLECTIONThe child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. -- Luke 2:40 Lord, we pray for healthy, strong children. Fill them with your love, and let us teach them how to grow in wisdom and love for You. Download printable reflections here:
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In late September at my 18-week pregnancy appointment I was told by one of my doctors that my thyroid numbers weren’t what they were supposed to be for pregnancy, and I would need to get them rechecked with another blood test. The scariest thing about this was that the blood test she was referring to was taken nearly two months prior, and this was the first time I had been informed of this, despite the fact that I had my 14-week appointment after the test results were in. Why no one had mentioned this to me in that two month period, I don't know. So there I was, with a potential thyroid problem, going on nearly two months undiagnosed. To make matters worse, the doctor didn’t actually tell me what this could mean for me, just that I would need another test. She was very obviously trying to spare me the anxiety, but I wasn't content with this lack of information. So I did what any idiot would do: I went home and Googled it. I read things like “second semester miscarriage.” I read things like “maternal heart failure.” And I had myself a wonderful little panic attack and was convinced that I, my baby, or both of us, could soon be dead. Was I being dramatic? I mean, yeah, probably. Still, this was a scary thing to read! I knew that there was nothing my doctors could do until I had that test again, which they wouldn’t let me get until two weeks later. My only hope, my only help, was going to have to be from Heaven. I spent the night writing a list of prayers, somewhat of a litany, to the saints I trusted would help me most. I share that list of saints here in case any pregnant woman reading this is looking for some friends to intercede for her, and also because they came through for me (at my 22-week appointment I found out that my second blood test came back okay) and I’d like to publicly honor and thank them, especially today on All Saints’ Day. SAINT RAPHAELSt. Raphael the Archangel has been my friend, maybe one of my best friends, for almost two years now. We go back to November 2017, just days after my wedding, when completely out of the blue I happened to notice that a mole on my arm had drastically changed from the last time I noticed it. I’ve had skin cancer before, and I was certain I had it again because I knew exactly what to look for. That night I pulled out my phone, opened the Laudate app, and searched for the prayer to Saint Peregrine: patron of cancer patients. I was anxious (which clearly seems to be a theme in my life, right?) and wanted to settle down a bit so I could pray more intently. So I set my phone down and made a cup of tea. When I turned my screen back on, the prayer to St. Peregrine that I had left on screen was now replaced with the prayer to St. Raphael. I tried swiping over, thinking I may have accidentally gone to the next prayer without noticing, but learned that that app doesn’t let you swipe between prayers. You have to close out, go back to the list, and tap on another title. Those two prayers weren’t right next to each other anyway, so it would have taken a few swipes to get from the prayer I left my screen on to the one I found on my screen when I returned. Though as I said, you can’t swipe through them. Is it possible that I accidentally did something else that took me from one prayer to the other? Absolutely. I’m not sure how I could have pulled it off from simply setting my phone down and picking it back up, but certainly anything is possible. After seeing that St. Raphael is the patron saint of healing (something I knew I would surely need), I decided to just go with it. It made sense to ask for his intercession. Maybe the prayer mix-up was even his way of reaching out to me, of letting me know he’d take care of this one. So he became a frequent intercessor for me, and I know I’ve already rambled enough here so I’ll just say that while I did end up having melanoma, it turned out much better than it could have. I trust St. Raphael’s intercession and I knew that if I called on him again, he would be there. SAINT ANTHONYSaint Anthony is another saint I have a history with; a history that goes back decades before I was even born. My grandmother has had a devotion to him since before she got married, which was in 1954, so you could say they’ve been friends a long time. Fast forward 35 years later to when my mother was pregnant with her first and only child -- me -- and facing the realization that I may not live. When she was eight months pregnant the doctors couldn’t find my heartbeat, and things weren’t looking optimistic. Enter my grandmother and her fervent devotion to Saint Anthony. I believe that it’s through his intercession that I’m here today, especially because of the fact that I was born two weeks early… I didn’t come into this world on my due date, I came into this world on St. Anthony’s feast day. Now I ask him to protect my baby in the womb just like he protected me. SAINT JOHN OF GODHeart disease is common in my family: my grandfather had it, my mother has heart problems, and even I have had to see a cardiologist several times. So when I read that one of the potential consequences of an undiagnosed thyroid problem is maternal heart failure, it scared me even more than it typically would. St. John of God is the patron of heart disease, which I now frequently ask for his protection against. SAINT GERARDAs the patron of expectant mothers, Saint Gerard Majella is probably already known to many pregnant women and needs no introduction or explanation. He is one of the saints whose intercession I have asked for long before this potential health issue came up, and one that I suggest any pregnant woman add to her list of intercessors. SAINT BLAISEThough I searched specifically for a patron saint of thyroid disorders, there was none to be found. But considering the thyroid’s close proximity to the throat, I knew St. Blaise - patron of throat disease - would cover me. He may not be a frequent intercessor for pregnant women, but praying for a healthy thyroid function can never hurt, given what the consequences of it could be. MARY & SAINT JOSEPHThe possibility of what could have happened if this was a true problem didn’t just hit me hard, it hit my husband hard as well. He tried to maintain a tough exterior, but I could tell he was afraid of anything happening to his wife or child. Saint Joseph protected Mary and Jesus, and so I asked for his intercession for my husband, that he would also be able to adequately protect and take care of me and our child, and for his strength. No matter what the reason, St. Joseph is a strong intercessor for anyone. I also asked for the intercession of Our Lady of Childbirth, because Mary is another that we can always depend on, who always wants us to go to her so that she may lead us to her Son. GUARDIAN ANGELSI asked not only my guardian angel, but also my baby’s guardian angel, for their presence, comfort, protection, and guidance during all of this. Forming a closer relationship with my guardian angel is something that’s been very important to me recently, and I’m always happy to talk to and lean on him as much as possible. There’s no better friend than someone who is with you always and specifically appointed to help you get through this life.
I ended my list of prayers by asking for the intercession of my grandfather and my husband’s grandparents, all of which I pray are in heaven. This list doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of incredible saints, but on this Holy Day I wanted to share the ones who have been there for me lately, getting me through one of the most rewarding but also certainly one of the most worrisome times of my life: pregnancy. I thank all of them for their intercession, and praise Jesus for hearing them and helping me. Who are your favorite intercessors, specifically during your pregnancy? |
AuthorCatholic. Wife. New Mama. Trying to figure all of this out one step at a time. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
-Proverbs 127:3-5 Archives
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