Deacon
Tom Writes,
Family
Life or Family Strife?
You
can’t expect to be on a championship team if you aren’t willing to give it all
you’ve got…. plus some. Anyone who’s played sports or whose kids are athletes
has heard the coach say, “Give me 120%”!!!
Those who want it bad enough will strive to increase their performance so they
can achieve their goal. Our human nature is such that we will do whatever it takes
to get what we want, if, that is, we
want it bad enough.
St
Paul’s Letter to the Colossians envisions a
quality of life so desirous that we are willing to give everything we’ve
got, plus some, to attain it. He is giving us incredible insight on how to live
wholesome, faith-filled lives rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a life that
yields peace, thankfulness, gratitude, and harmony for ourselves and those with
whom we share our lives, starting with our own family.
Paul
is creating within us the desire to
be God’s family. He is giving us the image of what it is like to accept this
generous invitation. In a world that was brutal, suspicious, violent,
insensitive, uncaring, (gee, it seems nothing has changed!) Paul offers a
vision of hope that flow from our identity of being a part of God’s family. He
says, “Put on heartfelt compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (We must) bear with one
another…forgive one another…settle disputes justly”. What an alternative
vision compared to the harsh world around them. Is it any wonder why
Christianity grew so rapidly?
“I have set before you life
and death”, we
read in the Book of Deuteronomy. “Choose
life”, we are commanded. That life that we are called to imitate is modeled
after the Holy Family. That is where Jesus came to know and experience the love
of a mother and of a father. That is where Jesus came to know of God’s love for
Him. Amid the day-to-day life of the Holy Family, Jesus’ conscience was shaped,
His love and dependency on God fashioned, His love for God’s Holy People
realized. In the safety and security of the Holy Family, Jesus was able to
discern the Father’s call.
As
we celebrate this Feast of the Holy Family, let us strive to create an
environment for our children and one another that is healthy, safe, loving,
respectful, joy-filled, generous, and full of laughter. Let us give our
children and one another the space and atmosphere where we can all come to know
God’s love, hear His call, and grow together as His children, members of God’s Holy
Family.
Enjoy
the day!
Deacon Tom
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