Deacon Tom Fox

My Beautiful Mom at Age 34

Hello again dear Catholic moms and other readers and visitors to the Catholic Mom site. This column marks the beginning of a second year of writing here. I have no idea if any or many read these words – but in some ways I feel I know you. Praying for others creates a spiritual bond and familial relationship. And speaking of family…

Years ago, my mom passed away at the age of 81, may God rest her soul. I am the last surviving family member and I had the job that many adult children are faced with. That is, the clearing out of a household and sorting through the life and possessions of a parent. It may sound like a topic you don’t want to read or think about – however I had a lovely thing happen that I’d like to share with you.

So here I was on the east side of Detroit in mom’s condo. Dear wife Dee was helping me. We were sorting though clothes, building up donation piles, boxing things that would go back to San Francisco where we were living at the time. When what should come to my attention but a roll, a seemingly very old roll of Kodak film. It looked as if it had been exposed but perhaps never processed. I set it aside to go back with me to look at when we returned to the Bay Area.

Weeks later, I took the film to a processing place to see if it could be developed. Returning, I picked up many wonderful color prints of a young family – my young mom, dad, my younger brother and other family friends. While I treasured all the pictures, a picture of my beautiful mom really struck me.

She must have been about 35 years of age or so – much younger than I am now or was back when I had these pictures developed. My memories of mom were from the last years of her life. I didn’t have any recall of that lovely young woman except that I knew it was mom from the setting. She was the lady who gave birth to me – who cooked and cleaned and sat at the kitchen table after suppers teaching me prayers and multiplication tables and such. (By the way – Deacon Tom is the young whipper snapper on the left!)

I have stared at these pictures. I look and see mom’s beauty… also her happiness in marriage and family. I see her attention to how we looked and how her home was – even if we were of modest means.

“O dear Lord, Thou has known a mother’s love and tender care. And will Thou listen while for my own mother most dear, I make this special prayer.

I cannot pay my debt for all the love that she has given; but Thou love’s Lord will not forget her due reward…in heaven.”

(A Prayer For Mother by Henry Van Dyke)

You will find this deacon returning to the theme of prayerful thanks for mothers. My own mother… my grandmothers…. great grandmothers. And for you, dear Catholic Moms. When I am in prayer and it comes to me to remember you – I stop for an extra period of time – lifting you up before God’s throne. I remind Him that you may be too busy to pause, what with driving and cooking and cleaning and perhaps an outside job.

I ask for strength for the certain ones of you who need it most. Perhaps you are wives of servicemen, or you are overburdened, single moms. Whatever. I pray for you and for your children and for your husbands – but especially you moms.

I do this because I want you to know that someday at a time and place when you aren’t able to know it or appreciate it – one or more of your family will be praying for you. Thanking God for you. Blessing you. Saints Monica and Augustine let us know that this is true. In hope, have faith that this can happen. Even if it seems a little far-fetched or unlikely now. God’s grace is the gift that keeps on giving. It moves mountains and Jesus said it is so.

Who knows? The kids may find a picture of you from 40 years earlier and say, “My God – how lovely she was… how lovely she is. Thank you Lord. Thank you.”

Blessings from Deacon Tom
www.deacontomonline.com
www.catholicmoments.com
www.catholicfamilypodcast.com

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Tom Fox was ordained a Deacon in the Archdiocese of Denver. He currently lives and serves in a small, but growing mountain community in northern Arizona. Tom has received many requests for copies of his Sunday homilies and his shorter Communion Service Reflections. He is an experiential preacher who uses life and stories to share a message of today for Catholics and other Christians Many of his sermons are found on the internet – and a collection of them are found on his website: www.deacontomonline.com. Tom would love to hear from you and will try to answer any questions or sharing that you send in.