August 6.  Transfiguration. Sunday 18A.  Fr Joseph, the parish priest had prepared his Sunday homily with the topic for the month, of Sexuality as a Family Gift and with the upcoming Women’s Day  in mind.  “Some gender topics are challenging from a negative point of view; we are well aware of oppression, exploitation and abuse and violence,  but there is also a positive challenge, for good gender relationships.   These don’t happen naturally and need a lot of hard work.“ Later Tracy, one member of the family team shared, “today’s feastday for us, Catholics has been one of my favourites for a long time.  The feast of the Transfiguration.   The three apostles chosen by Jesus to witness his transfigured self were overcome with wonder and exclaimed. ‘Lord it is good for us to be here.’    That is my hope and dream for all our gender relationships.”

Reflect, share, act. Scripture: Jesus was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun and his garments became white as light. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord it is well that we are here.”  Matt 17:1b-9.  The joy of Love experienced by families is also the joy of the Church.   For all the signs of crisis in the institution of marriage, the desire to marry and form a family remains vibrant, especially among young people and this is an inspiration to the Church.  AL1.