Prayer

"When children or adolescents are not helped to realise that some things have to be waited for, they become obsessed with satisfying their immediate needs and develop the vice of 'wanting it all now'."  

(Amoris Laetitia 275)

Learning to wait for things, in other words having patience, is an important life lesson. In what ways can you help foster in your children an appreciation of and sense of contentment with what they have.?

Psalm 71:9 says “Do not cast me in the time of my old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.” Pope Francis states “This is the plea of the elderly, who fear being forgotten or rejected … We must reawaken the collective sense of gratitude, of appreciation, of hospitality, which makes the elderly feel like a living part of the community”

(Amoris Laetitia 191)

Do you have elderly people in your family or community who may sometimes fear being forgotten or rejected? What have do you do to show them gratitude, appreciation and hospitality as part of their daily lives?

The questions I would put to parents are these: “Do you seek to understand ‘where’ our children are in their journey? Where is their soul, do we really know? And above all, do we want to know?  

(Amoris Laetitia 261)

For parents the real question is not where our children are physically, or whom they are with at any given time, but rather where they are existentially, where they stand in terms of their convictions, goals, desires and dreams. As a family we need to find opportunities to discuss important things, to cultivate a multitude of healthy ways to spend time and to encourage critical/right thinking in our children.

“Dialogue is essential for experiencing, expressing and fostering love in marriage and family life. Yet it can only be the fruit of a long and demanding apprenticeship. Men and women, young people and adults, communicate differently. They speak different languages and they act in different ways. Our way of asking and responding to questions, the tone we use, our timing and any number of other factors condition how well we communicate. We need to develop certain attitudes that express love and encourage authentic dialogue.”

(Amoris Laetitia 137)

Be aware this week of communication within your family, being mindful of how family members dialogue with one another. Are there patterns of communication that can be affirmed and others that may need improvement.

"At these times (of family crises), it becomes all the more important to create opportunities for speaking heart to heart."

(Amoris Laetitia 234)

All families face crises, it is part of our human condition and rather than retreating into silence, we are invited to name the challenges we face so that we can face them together. 

“Take time, quality time. This means being ready to listen patiently and attentively to everything the other person wants to say.”

(Amoris Laetitia 137) 

Share a meal or activity this week as a family without any distractions. Make an intentional effort to put away phones, turn off the television, and enjoy the company of those you love most.

“Greater emphasis needs to be placed on the fact that children are a wonderful gift from God and a joy for parents and the Church. Through them, the Lord renews the world.”

(Amoris Laetitia 222)

Bringing up children involves both the wonderful experience of joy and giving and receiving love and affection and involves countless sacrifices.  A parent's responsibilities start from a child's conception onwards to adulthood and oftentimes beyond.  Each child is different from the other and come each in her or his own way to help us grow as both parents and as a family

A parent’s greatest desire for their children is to see them grow, be happy, be secure, flourish and to be fulfilled, to bring blessing to others and to our world, to be part of the family of God and to love God.

Reflect this week on how your child/children are unique gifts from God in your family and to share with your children why they are such a unique gift.

“Love bears every trial with a positive attitude. It stands firm in hostile surroundings. This ‘endurance’ involves not only the ability to tolerate certain aggravations, but something greater: a constant readiness to confront any challenge. It is a love that never gives up, even in the darkest hour”

(Amoris Laetitia 118).

Every family endures hard times. Recall one such hard time and try to see what good God may have drawn out of it for your family, or, if you can’t see that yet, what you hope he will draw out of it.

"Listening to the elderly tell their stories is good for children and young people: it makes them feel connected to the living history of their families."

(Amoris Laetitia 193)

How have family stories shaped your own story?

Take the time to share your stories of growing up, and the stories of faith, struggle and triumph that make up your family history

"A family marked by loving trust, come what may, helps its members to be themselves and spontaneously to reject deceit, falsehood, and lies.”

(Amoris Laetitia, 115)

In a trusting context, one has no need to hide. Children who grow up in this context will know that they will be accepted always, and so will have the courage to own up to shortcomings. Examine your conscience this week about whether you’ve fallen into suspicion, unfair judgment, or seeming to withhold your love due to a shortcoming of a family member.