2008 FAMILY LIFE CALENDAR REFLECTIONS

THEME “ME AND MY FAMILY”

DECEMBER THEME:  “ME, FAMILY , GIFT.”

INTRODUCTION
Life is a gift. Every person, sick or healthy is a gift. Family life is a gift.  You are a gift from God to your family.  No matter what our problems are, or our strengths and weaknesses, we are given to one another. The words of the marriage vows, “for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death” apply to all of family life too.  
If we try, it is possible to develop an attitude of gratitude for the gift of ourselves and the members of our families. At this time of preparation and celebration of Christmas how are you able to do this?  Reflect, share, discuss and pray about this.

1st World Aids Day. This is not a religious feast but has become a day to focus on HIV/AIDS  and related issues.  It is a time to be with those infected and affected in spirit and in practice.   Our response should not just be to read about it, listen to radio or watch TV or even to attend a concert or rally.  Wearing a red ribbon is a sign of support that ideally should be accompanied with relevant action as a family and for other families. HIV/AIDS will only be conquered when those who are responsible for infecting others stop doing so.    

7th Advent 2. B.  The Good News.  This is a gift from God, brought to the people of the time by John the Baptist as messenger pointing to Jesus, the powerful one, yet one who cares tenderly  like a shepherd for his flock.  How is family life shown to be good news by the tender care given as a gift to one another and from there passed on to others.

14th Advent 3. B.  Our Joy in Christ.  The wellknown passage “the spirit of the Lord has been given to me, he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor……..” leads into a special message of  Paul. He calls on everyone to “be happy at all times” and tells us how, “Pray constantly and for all things give thanks to God.”  His comment,  “think before you do anything” surely resonates well with families. 

16thDay of Reconciliation SA.  Reconciliation is a special gift from God and to one another. At this time of the year and after the type of year we have experienced what need of reconciliation is there in each of our lives?  If children learn about reconciliation and forgiveness at home they can practise it in society too.

21st Advent 4. Year B.   Mary, the Ark of God’s Covenant.  A covenant is described as a love-pact made by God with us throughout and renewed throughout  the ages. Mary is a carrier and witness of God’s love and we each are called to spread this news.  Let Mary be a part of your family’s preparation for Christmas.  

24th Christmas Eve.   25th  Christmas Day.  26th Day of Goodwill.    See MARFAM’s Advent and Christmas programme.
The gift of Christmas is the gift of God’s love,  experienced in our relationship with God and our human relationships. This God-love is shared with one another in our human family and in all God’s family.  How are you able to share this love?  

28th Holy Family Sunday.  Holy Innocents.  Every child should be a gift to its parents and parents a gift to their children. How often is this not the case?  Destroying the life of an innocent child through abortion is never an answer. Abandonment or neglect, child abuse and parent abuse too destroy family life. On this day focus on the specialness and gift that we can be in spite of the difficulties we experience and thank God for this.    

31st New Year’s Eve.  Resolution time and celebration time.  Take a moment to thank God for the gifts of 2008 and ask his blessing on 2009 for your own family and families of all kinds everywhere, for couples and parents, young and old, caring for one another with God’s love.