2009 FAMILY LIFE CALENDAR REFLECTIONS

THEME: MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GROWING TOGETHER

MARCH THEME: MANAGING GROWTH

INTRODUCTION
Growth should be considered holistically. It applies to young and old and involves all aspects of life;   physical, mental, psychological, spiritual and emotional too. Conditions for optimal growth are a human right but come with responsibilities too, within a family and beyond.
Many families have to operate at survival level and are hardly able to put a nutritious meal on the table. Other families neglect their responsibilities to provide the best that they can for healthy growth. Quality time and quantity time to enable growth to be managed as a couple and a family are a right and a responsibility. SA Human Rights Day on 21st March is an occasion to look into this question.
Reflect and share how you would rate your family on the question of rights and responsibilities for managing growth effectively.  

1st 1st Sunday of Lent B. The Good News of the Covenant. 
During Lent we do penance but it is also a teaching time, a time to grow in understanding of the covenant of Love God makes and renews with us. A covenant is about rights and responsibilities too. “You will be my people and I will be your God.”  In his humanity Jesus, like us, was tempted by Satan to choose an easier way than God’s way.  How are we resisting temptation?

8th 2nd Sunday of Lent B. God’s Gift to Us, His Son. 
Abrahams’ willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac is compared to God’s willingness to give his beloved Son for us.  These are examples of great sacrifices made for a desired cause or outcome and go beyond the issue of rights.  Only love can inspire anyone to make genuine sacrifices.

15th 3rd Sunday of Lent B. Christ the Wisdom of God. 
We hear the account of the giving of the Ten Commandments of the Law and of Jesus’ righteous anger in overturning the tables of the money-lenders. The Law demands of us to act justly and the need for justice can sometimes make us angry at injustices we see.  Should we allow ourselves to be provoked into violence? Is it OK if no one gets hurt?

17th St Patrick.  
The patron saint of Ireland is a very popular SA saint too because so many Irish missionaries and immigrants have helped to build up the Church in South Africa.  

19th St Joseph, the husband of Mary is a shadowy figure in the Bible. He really only appears in the infancy narratives where he is shown to be a man of honour, sensitivity and deep love who did what was right to protect Mary and Jesus when they needed his protection.
 
21st SA Human Rights Day.  
We commemorate those who fought in the struggle for human rights and now we continue to examine the situation around us with the intention to stand for and promote what is right and just.  Sometimes God’s laws and the Church’s teaching are in conflict with the SA Constitution as on the subject of the Right to Life.  Managing growth includes formation of one’s conscience.    

22nd 4th Sunday of Lent B.  Christ the Redeemer. 
The sins of humankind repeatedly made them exiles from God’s kingdom. Through Jesus’ great love and his gift of himself we are brought back into relationship with God.  We are saved; but to manage our own growth we need to be active participants and work at improving our relationships with God and with one another.

25th The Annunciation.  
Mary, a young woman, betrothed to be married, was invited by God’s angel to bear a special child, God’s Son, our saviour.  Her faith and trust in God were boundless as she responded, “Your will be done.”  Pray that you will be able to speak those same words at all the events in your life.  Pray too for those who rejects God’s will through abortion that they will again be reconciled with God.

29th 5th Sunday of Lent B. The Lord’s Forgiveness.
Some very special passages in today’s readings speak about the requirements and cost of forgiveness.  Jeremiah speaks for God, saying, ”Deep within them I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people.”  Before entering into the passion Jesus admits “Now my soul is troubled.”  Tremendous love and commitment are required to be true followers of Jesus Christ.    

PRAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR FAMILIES and meditate on the moments of Jesus’ journey and relate these to occasions in the family’s own life. From MARFAM in English, Sotho and Zulu.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR WIDOWED PEOPLE.  In English, Zulu and Tswana.