2008 FAMILY LIFE CALENDAR REFLECTIONS

THEME “ME AND MY FAMILY”

OCTOBER THEME: “ME, MY FAMILY AND MISSION

INTRODUCTION

The theme of mission has been chosen because this is Mission month in Southern Africa and Mission Sunday is celebrated on 19th October.  Of course it is also traditionally the month of the Rosary.  As always we look at these aspects from a family angle.
The tasks of a family as the domestic church include forming itself into an intimate community, nurturing life, building up society and participating in the mission of the Church. Looking beyond our own needs and wants towards building up the wider society, but with family life as a foundation is an important mission. So much of our focus today is on the individual and on personal success, while at the other extreme there is also the strong focus on community with our Pastoral Plan and its vision of “Community serving humanity.”  We need to look at the first community first. But "no one is an island," and no family is an island either. The mission to evangelise, of bringing the Good News of God's love into the world is also the mission of the "little church of the home."  Families and their members living lives of integrity and commitment, caring for each other and reaching out to others, especially the poor and disadvantaged are ways to build up society. 
What is your personal mission in life? Do you experience a sense of mission in building up your own family, the Church and society?    Reflect, share, discuss and pray about this.

2nd Guardian Angels.  Angels are very popular in a kind of esoteric way, not necessarily a Christian way, it seems.  You see shops around that sell statues that are Christian, Hindu or Buddhist too as well as angel figures and pictures. It is good to talk to children about God’s providence and care for us by giving us each a guardian angel.  

4th St Francis of Assisi is for many people one of the few saints they know and admire.  He came from a rich merchant family but gave up his wealth to follow Jesus, to serve the poor and the weak. He is of course also remembered for his love of animals and nature.   Hundreds of thousands of people have followed his way over the centuries.  How can he be an example to your family? 

5th 27th Sunday Year A. The vineyard of the Lord.    Just like a vineyard a family setup needs work and care so as to yield the best possible fruit.  If left to itself it could produce useless, or poor quality fruit.  St Paul tells us not to worry, but to pray for what we need but at the same time fill our minds with what is good and true.  Do a little tasting and stock-taking and find out what is needed most.  

7th Our Lady of the Rosary.   The Rosary is one of the most popular of Catholic devotions and as we pray we reflect on the life of Jesus and Mary and God’s love for us.  The Mission of the family is to share and spread God’s love to others.

12th 28th Sunday Year A. The Lord’s Wedding Feast. Anyone who has been to a wedding recently will know how special it is and also how much it costs.  It is God in his generosity who provides a wedding feast for us and all we have to do is respond to his invitation.  As a family discuss the subject of weddings and what they really mean.  Consider too what Paul has to say about generosity.

19th 29th Sunday Year A.  The Lord of History. MISSION SUNDAY.   Political power is a big issue in our society at this time, in our own country and across our borders.   Do we, and the politicians, leaders and rulers themselves remember that their power comes from God and is meant to point the way to godly rule.  Thank God and pray for earthly leaders while discussing what qualities are needed at all levels from parents to school prefects and leaders in church and society.  

26th 30th Sunday Year A.  The Commandments of Love.  The two great commandments of love are to love God and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.  Our closest neighbour are those living right under our own roof and are they not often the hardest to love?  It sometimes needs the kind of conversion and commitment that Paul speaks about.