Beyond Sunday / February 28, 2023

Moments After the Mountain

Reflecting on the Gospel reading of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, Rakhi and Nicole break open a fruitful discussion, inviting listeners to consider what “deserts” they find themselves in — what places in their lives are they being convinced of half-truths and doubting who God has called them to be. They cover the temptation to control their children, compare themselves to other parents, and seek silver bullet solutions to family life and parenting.

This episode of Beyond Sunday is sponsored by OSV Catholic Bookstore, publisher of Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Lead your family to Jesus through Mary, with this book by Detroit local, Colleen Pressprich, and grow in your devotion to Our Lady. Use code “52SUN” for 20% off your purchase of this beautiful Marian resource!

Show Notes

(01:07) Nicole and Rakhi open up this week’s episode with a little bit of toddler trivia. This leads to a discussion of what they lovingly call, “the dark ages.” They begin to unpack the unique challenges and joys of raising children in the toddler phase.

(06:39) Nicole proposes the topic for this week as finding times to pray and enter into Lent as busy parents. They discuss the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, the Transfiguration, and begin to discuss how they are spiritually fed in the midst of their lives as busy moms.

(09:42) They highlight how, like Peter at the Transfiguration, they have had “mountaintop” experiences where they want to stay and soak in the goodness of the Lord. They share how coming down from those moments can be very difficult, but how motherhood, in a sense, forces a return from the mountain — a snapping out of those intimate moments with the Lord.

(11:47) They discuss the reality of feeling parental guilt when parents decide to do something for themselves, even for something as important as prayer or retreat. They share how they distinguish between the voice of God and lies when it comes to that feeling of guilt, and how the example of prioritizing their own faith can be a good way to cultivate faith among their children.

(15:24) They share how they fit moments of prayer in the midst of their day-to-day, especially in the mornings. They highlight the importance of ongoing dialogue with the Lord throughout their day.

(21:33) Both Nicole and Rakhi describe their own experiences of how they do this in their lives, highlighting God’s own desire to spend time with each of us, trusting him as the author of time, and expressing our desire for intimacy with him to him in our prayer.

(23:06) They challenge listeners to think about how to take mountaintop moments of encounter with Jesus and come down and live, listening to Jesus throughout their days.

This episode of Beyond Sunday is sponsored by OSV Catholic Bookstore, publisher of Marian Consecration for Families with Young Children. Lead your family to Jesus through Mary, with this book by Detroit local, Colleen Pressprich, and grow in your devotion to Our Lady. Use code “52SUN” for 20% off your purchase of this beautiful Marian resource!