A mother blogs about The Way

A British mother of four talks about The Way on her blog and answers questions posted by a reader.

UK, January 21, 2008

Tags: The Way I’ve been reading The Way recently (I thought it was about time) and finding it very helpful, whilst at the same time finding myself being thankful that Escriva was not my parish priest (mine takes no prisoners either, but in a very gentle manner). There are several pearls that have jumped out at me on this reading and no doubt many more to come. Take, for example, the following: “The heroic minute. It’s time to get up, on the dot! Without hesitation, a supernatural thought and... up! The heroic minute; here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does not weaken your body” (The Way, 206).
I think I take nearly a minute but no more: I waken, say my morning offering, take my temperature, kiss my sleeping husband and I’m up. I’ve been determined that we’ll not be late for school and so far, so good. In fact, I need to leave so much time for last minute nappy changes, cleaning up baby-sick and a toddler tantrum or two that our eldest daughter’s teacher recently picked her out as a pupil who is “always in school in good time”. That pleased me as much as hearing that she’s “a joy to teach”! So succeeding with “the heroic minute” (a great phrase, don’t you think?) means I’m starting the day with a “scanty triumph” (there’s another cracking phrase) won by grace with the co-operation of the alarm clock.

Question: Is The Way worth me buying, do you think? What do you think about Opus Dei in general?
Answer: Yes, I think so. In my view, it’s a ‘classic’ (i.e. I’d classify it alongside Introduction to the Devout Life, Imitation of Christ, Sacrament of the Present Moment, etc) but I’d never read it and thought it was about time. Escriva speaks a lot of sense and I’m finding it helpful.
As to what I think of Opus Dei in general, I think there’s a need for laity to take our faith more seriously. We’re all called to be saints where we find ourselves (so for me, amidst my pots and pans) and Opus Dei seems to address that need.

‘La Mamma’, Antagonistic pots and pans blog, January 21, 2008