55. The Catholic Mothers' Retreat: Day 3 - Freedom from Comparison - From Worldly Perfectionism to God-inspired Purpose

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Day 3: Freedom from Comparison - Letting Go of our inner multi-tasking "Martha' and Embracing our contemplative "Mary"

The pressure to be everything for everyone can drain the joy from home life. We step into a quieter, sturdier way: a day shaped by prayer, simple offerings, and a renewed understanding of vocation. From the first moments, we ground the conversation in a heartfelt prayer for mothers and a candid look at how comparison steals peace. Then we explore a living tradition that anchors busy hearts, introducing the Filipino devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia and the story of healing, perseverance, and community that continues to draw pilgrims by the millions.

Our journey blends history and hope with the practical rhythms of daily work. We talk candidly about the tug-of-war between the inner "Martha" who  is oh so demanding on women and what they "should" be doing. 

Meanwhile, the inner "Mary" is able to say "No" to all tasks and say "Yes" to slowing down and being in the presence of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Rather than choosing one over the other, we show how to hold both: prioritize prayer at the start of the day, invite God into chores, and offer small crosses for family and those in need. The ordinary becomes sacred when done with love, and the repetitive becomes a path to peace. Along the way, we reflect on Saint John Paul II’s words to women, honouring the dignity of mothers and wives as steady signs of God’s tenderness and fidelity.

By the end, you’ll have a concrete way to shift from wordly perfectionism to God's purpose for your life: I invite you to begin with prayer, name  and set your limits, and allow gratitude reframe each task. We can learn from the example of Mother Mary and how this can support our daily "Yes," why small practices outlast big resolutions, and how to trust that God’s grace is enough when you feel like you aren’t. 

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Episode Transcript

Sheila Nonato (00:00):
Day 3.
Freedom from comparison andletting go of our inner
"Martha." Embracing our vocationas wives and mothers.
In the name of the Father andof the Son and of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Opening prayer.
Our Lady of Pena francia,please help all mothers to
embrace their unique calling.

(00:21):
Our Lady of Pena francia, youare adorned in the mantle, the
cloak of sparkling gold, andcrowned with a bejeweled halo of
twelve stars to signify yourqueenship, purity, and our
reverence for you.
May all women know of and growin confidence in their God-given

(00:41):
dignity and vocation.
May we let go of comparison andthe need to do it all.
In the midst of our many busytasks, may we prioritize prayer
at the start of our day, toallow God to work through us in
whatever challenges, big orsmall, we may face that day.
May we be able to pray duringour daily motherhood duties, the

(01:06):
dirty dishes, the changing ofdiapers, during our cooking and
cleaning.
May we be able to offer up allof our little crosses for our
families and for all those inneed of prayers and miracles
around the world.
And may we come to know that inthe midst of our work, we rely
upon God and God's grace to getus through our day.

(01:27):
May we balance our inner"Martha," who fulfills all
motherhood tasks, with our inner"Mary," who also remembers to
sit at the feet of Jesus andprioritize prayer and
conversation with God.
It is not just the doing of thetasks that fills our day, but
most importantly the offering ofall that we do for God, which

(01:48):
we do out of love for Jesus andour families, not just out of
duty.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
In the name of the Father andof the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
Introduction to Our Lady of Penafrancia.
For day three of our Mother'sDay retreat, please allow me to
introduce you to a devotion fromthe Philippines, the country

(02:09):
where I was born.
The history of the devotion tothe miraculous image of Our Lady
of Pena francia in thePhilippines is 300 years old.
A French nobleman named SimonBella discovered the image of
the Blessed Mother, known in theofficial language of the
Philippines Tagalog as "Ina."This translates to mother.

(02:29):
In the statue, she is carryingthe baby Jesus in her arms.
The image was found in themountains of Pena francia, which
means "Rock of France," southof Salamanca, Spain.
It was hidden alongside othersacred images and church bells
to prevent it from falling intothe hands of invaders.
The devotion of Our Lady PenaFrancia began in the Philippines

(02:53):
in 1712.
A seminarian named MiguelRobles de Covarrubias, the son
of a Spanish official from Peñade Francia, was healed after
praying with a holy card of OurLady of Peña francia.
Miguel later became a priestand built a small church with a
canvas copy of the painting.
Centuries later, a biggerchurch was built to house a

(03:16):
statue of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
The Peña francia devotion hasgrown exponentially, that 1.5
million devotees, pilgrims, andtourists attended the
festivities last September.

Reflection (03:29):
"To reign is to serve."
As we celebrate the 30thanniversary of Pope St.
John Paul II's "Letter toWomen" this year, may we recall
our Blessed Mother's unique roleas the Mother of God, and her
faithful and courageous yes tofulfill her vocation and
mission.
As St.
John Paul II wrote, "Thank you,women who are mothers.

(03:51):
You have sheltered human beingswithin yourselves in a unique
experience of joy and travail.
This experience makes youbecome God's own smile upon the
newborn child, the one whoguides your child's first steps,
who helps it to grow, who isthe anchor as the child makes
its way along the journey oflife.

(04:12):
Thank you, women who are wives.
You irrevocably join yourfuture to that of your husbands,
in a relationship of mutualgiving at the service of love
and life."May we turn our eyes towards our
Blessed Mother and embrace ourcalling as wives and mothers and
give thanks to God for theblessing of our husbands and

(04:33):
children.
When we feel exhausted orinadequate, when we compare our
homes and our homemaking skillsto those of others, especially
on social media, may we learn toaccept that we are enough, and
most importantly, that God isenough.
He provides for us in ways thatwe may not even see.

(04:55):
May we give gratitude to Godevery day for the gift of our
families, our vocation, and ourfaith.
Litany, Good Saint Anne, pleasepray for us.
Our Lady of La Vang, pleasepray for us.
Our Lady of Penafrancia, pleasepray for us.
Our Lady of the Cape, pleasepray for us.
Our Lady of Czestochowa, pleasepray for us.

(05:16):
Our Lady of Kibeho, please prayfor us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pleasepray for us.
Closing prayer.
Turn to me thine eyes, O mostloving Virgin of Penafrancia,
Have mercy on my soul that cometo thee full of repentance.
Protect my family, relatives,friends, and benefactors.
Intercede for your devotees,both the living and the dead,

(05:38):
especially for those whom I ammost obliged to help.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, nameof the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.