We are at the end of summer, the beginning of fall and a new school year, a good time to reflect on family relationships.
Children leave home, some for the first extended period of time in their lives. Parents entrust their children to someone else’s care with mixed emotions. Some children rejoice, assuming limitless freedom and exciting new possibilities. Soon, they recognize their new responsibilities: doing everything by themselves, adapting their behavior to new situations, and making new friends and forming a whole new family. We create little families wherever we go.
Jesus, in saying, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it,” opens up the door to building a new family, a family of God. By opening the door to building a new family, Jesus tells us we can have a new identity. It challenges us to come together as a family to listen to the Word of God and support each other with prayer.
What do we need to do to build this family? How can I strengthen my family today?
