Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
Throughout the past few months in our Lay Marianist Community, we have been looking at the goals of the Marianist Family Encounters Project. One goal that we recently prayed about together was called, “Empower through family spirit.” In thinking about this call and discerning what it would look like to live a family spirit in our lives, I found myself challenged in many ways. To love in a family involves forgiveness, acceptance, patience and sacrifice. It means thinking of someone other than me. It often means putting the needs of another before myself. These virtues challenge us to grow and stretch in our families, BUT what if we are called is to practice these virtues in all of our relationships? What if we are meant to embrace this selflessness with everyone we meet and all of those we are in community with and connected with?
Today’s Gospel reading makes me think we may be on to something with this desire to live in a family spirit. When told that his mother and brothers had arrived, Jesus said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Family and all that comes with that, extends beyond those we share a name or a home with. Our family becomes all of those who hear the word of God and respond to it. Our family becomes the extended body of Christ. And yes, we will disagree with others who share our faith. Yes, we will find working with our brothers and sisters in Christ challenging, but we are called to persevere in these relationships. How would our world change if we worked to understand and reconcile with others rather than disagree and discard others?
Today let us think about our families. Let us thank God for the people in our family and for the ways they have shaped us, challenged us and helped us to grow. Now let us think about our communities, our work places and our local communities – how can we start to embrace these people with the same family spirit? Let us think globally as well. How can we utilize our family spirit as we think about our decisions and desires and the impact they have on members of our human family throughout the world?
Amen.
-AJ Grimm