The Christian Family

Sisters and brothers, along our renewed journey, we've talked about marriage and faithfulness in marriage. Today, we're called to reflect a bit about the family. That element of our society, that first cell of our society, that we describe as the family, or as the Church says, the domestic Church. The family gathered around the dinner table. The family gathered in the living room.

The family gathered on an outing. That family reflects the calling of the Christian community, young and old, to be together, to honor one another, and to love with the manner in which God loves.

In the Fourth Commandment, we're told to honor our parents. And the reality is that call is for us to think intensively about family, to think intentionally about family, about the manner in which we care for our children, and make sure that they are nurtured and given opportunities in life.

The call of the family isn’t to make sure every child can go to the best college. The call of the family is to educate and inform children to be followers of Christ, to be disciples of the Lord, and to have a knowledge of what our Faith is. At the same time, it's in caring for our children as they grow.

They grow from the very dependent years of toddlers to the very independent years of teenagers. Back to the friendship years—we hope and pray—of having adult children and to be engaged in our children's lives at each of those stages, with love and with mercy. The American bishops describe the family in a beautiful way in their document on sexuality.

They describe the family as the school of mercy, the place where mercy is made most evident because it reflects the way Christ loves us, the way Christ loves the Church—with a heart of compassion and mercy.

And then in the most senior years, when our parents are failing and frail, for us to realize that the family call of discipleship is to care and love well those who have loved us and nurtured us. It's nurturing in return for the good that people have shown us in their lives.

Sisters and brothers, if we can honor the family, strengthen the family, live the family well, we indeed fulfill the call of the Fourth Commandment. But even more so, our society and our Church will be renewed.

Reflection Questions:

1. How does my family life reflect the love and mercy of Christ?
   
   

2. In what ways am I intentionally nurturing Faith in the lives of my children or loved ones?
   
   

3. How can I honor and support both the youngest and eldest members of my family more fully?