O Lord of Lords, King of Kings – we praise You! You are so, so good, constant, loving, merciful, kind, all-knowing, all-powerful. You are our God, and we are Your beloved!
We are approaching a time of travel and sharing meals and traditions of all sorts- all with friends and extended family and many hours on the road with time to reflect!
I found myself reflecting, I know prompted by the Spirit, on family dynamics of all things and how that relates to the communion of saints and the dynamics of groups in which I am involved. I come from a culture where everyone is treated as family – even if we have just met. The communion of saints is lived out daily. It really is just a part of who I am, but to have God allow me to meditate on a FAMILY of saints gave me a different perspective – especially about my own family!
Every family is a little different, but I would argue that most have some things in common. Intact Christian families are built on the foundation of the Sacrament of Marriage. I am sure it is no coincidence that the Body of Christ is also referred to as the Bride of Christ. Most families gather together for certain times to strengthen bonds, communicate, and help each other – family meals, family prayers, vacations, activities, any and all shared activities! The Body or Bride of Christ does so as well – Mass (duh!), group Rosaries, weddings, funerals, feast days, Praise nights, and so much more.
Just like our church family, I see the times that hubby and I gather our family as a way of giving each member its nourishment to GO OUT and do what God is calling us to do, knowing our next time of nourishment is not far away!
When the kids were all little and always home, gathering was more frequent and involved a lot of training. God is moving my family into a different season and reminding me that these shared experiences are JUST AS IMPORTANT BUT WILL LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT. He is reminding me that I need to set aside expectations and remember that it is His Will and His Plan that reigns. After all, He is God and I am not!
The Spiritual care I give my family IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AND WILL TAKE UP JUST AS MUCH TIME as changing diapers and training did. Our role as intercessors for our family, community, church and His kingdom are as vital as meals, dishes, and laundry!
Sacred Heart family – I challenge you to share what God has been revealing to you in your life! We must share His good works, His revelations, the miracles He still daily performs! Even if it’s a lesson you think is just for you, by sharing, you verbalize or write it, and it becomes more concrete. You just never know who else God is trying to reach through you!
