We are making ready for this year’s garden planting. We have some mint in the garden that scents the air whenever we weed around the plant – a sensory reminder that life and growth give hope and joy. Tending the garden is at times fun, rewarding, tedious, and laborious. I have to admit that I have difficulty finding joy in weeding. Attitude is important.
It is spring in this part of the world, and I think it is natural to think about how things grow and change – how things become new again. When we plan the garden, we are attentive to when, where, and what to plant. In our families, we are always responding to life’s seasons. Families help us root our faith, learn to love, and find our joy.
I think as we support our children’s growth, we teach them all the time, intentionally or not – and we learn from them. Children watch the people who care for them. They see how we react in all life’s situations, and as they mature, ideally, they grow in appreciation of our wisdom and our frailty. Love embraces the reality of the other person.
We try to help our daughters and sons become happy and to realize their potential – to be faithful and joyful. It is not without setbacks or disappointments. Sometimes those are the moments we can learn from the most. We let the Lord teach us. The commitment to living and growing is a blessed task. It is, I think, a life work.
We recently celebrated The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1. We also in this month have a prayerful focus on Mary, the Mother of the Lord. The Christian story is in its beginnings about the faithful work that is family life and how God’s loving embrace is revealed.
We remain in Easter time and anticipate Pentecost. The Resurrection of the Lord invites us to fullness of life, to see all things new. I believe family life is always a call to new life, a life of selfless love, forgiveness, learning, and growing. I think faith in the Risen Jesus, present within us by His Spirit, gifts us with endurance to do the loving work of being family.
Let our family prayer be a celebration of the words of Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, “my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Luke 1:47)