2009 FAMILY LIFE CALENDAR REFLECTIONS

THEME: MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GROWING TOGETHER

FEBRUARY THEME: GROWING STRONG

Introduction
Medical science has made great strides towards improving health and curing illness. We sometimes take it for granted that all illnesses can be cured and are loath to accept that sickness is as much part of life as wellness. Wellness itself is not an absence of sickness but a wholeness or wholesomeness on physical as well as emotional, psychological and spiritual levels. Personal wellbeing is important and so is family wellness something to strive for.  We celebrate the Day of Prayer for the Sick and the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes this month. These occasions help us to reflect on issues of health, of healing and of growing strong.
Reflect and share on the question, “How does our family deal with both sickness and wellness?”

1st 4th Sunday of the Year B. The Lord Our Teacher. Education in different forms is very necessary to become a strong, well-balanced person. Parents are the first educators of their children in faith and morals and  educators in schools should do more than teach subject matter. Adults too require ongoing formation in faith and in their particular spirituality of marriage and family life. It is the Lord, who taught “with authority” who is our teacher through scripture and through the teachings of the Church.  

2nd Presentation of the Lord.  According to Jewish tradition a mother and baby had to visit the temple 40 days after the birth for purification and dedication.  We don’t practice this tradition now but the feast has become a celebration of light and the final end of the Christmas season.  Traditions are important and strengthen family relationships.

8th 5th Sunday of the Year B.  Christ Who Makes us Free to Serve.  Job complains about the drudgery of life saying he feels like a slave. Paul shows how through a relationship with Jesus this slavery of others will not be a burden but a joy. Jesus heals many people of all kinds of diseases because of his concern for them. This enables us to grow strong and serve others.

11th February. DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SICK.  Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Our Lady appeared to Bernadette, a sickly young girl and called for prayer and penance. A ministry to the sick grew after a spring of water with healing powers sprang up in that place. Very many people now visit Lourdes, hoping and praying for miraculous healing.  Some are healed in body, many are healed spiritually and emotionally too. All relationships need healing from hurt in order to grow strong.  

15th 6th Sunday of the Year B. Jesus friend of Outcasts.
Jesus helped many outcasts, healed and befriended them so that they could become strong again through his caring touch. We each have areas of weakness and times when we feel like outcasts. Consider where you need Jesus to help you become strong as individuals and as a family.

22nd 7th Sunday of the Year B. Christ Forgives our sins. In another healing miracle story Jesus tells the lame man “Your sins are forgiven.”   There is a strong bond between forgiveness and healing, particularly spiritual and emotional healing. We sin against God, but hurt one another all the time too. When we ask for and grant one another forgiveness our relationships can begin to heal. This is also one of the graces for building up the Sacrament of Marriage, as we share in the healing power of Jesus.

25th Ash Wednesday.   This is the beginning of the season of repentance, symbolized by the blessing with ashes. We evaluate our lives and relationships with God and with our neighbour.  Our nearest neighbours are those living in our own home and these relationships need to be strong so that we can reach out to others too.

World Marriage Day is an initiative of Worldwide Marriage Encounter celebrated on the 2nd Sunday of February each year.   visit http://wmd.wwme.org/intro.html for more information.  We shall be celebrating Marriage Day on 4th October as the conclusion of a marriage awareness season from 21st to 27th Sundays of this year B.