OUR WORLD A FAMILY OF FAMILIES.

Since 1994-5, when MARFAM started I have been preparing a Lenten programme every year, sometimes there was a calendar with daily suggestions, sometimes a list of Acts of Love and Sacrifices for people to choose. The Lent and Easter programmes usually had stories and poems for reflection and sharing and ideally activities for families at home.  Mostly stories were fantasies, imaginary situations involving Jesus and the events of his Passion, death and Resurrection. Sometimes he was accompanied by angels, or by his followers of the time or even a stranger, like Simon from Cyrene.  Sometimes there were followers and events in our own day as when I situate Jesus in the 20th and 21st centuries. As most of my ministry in these 30 years has been with families, of course, marriage and parenting feature. MARRIAGE AND THE PASCHAL MYSTERY was a topic that grew out of our Marriage Encounter experience with reflections on stages and situations of pain and healing in marriage. At times I used nature images and reflections, even before I became more involved in Laudato Si and building eco-friendly families with the vision of OUR WORLD, A FAMILY OF FAMILIES.  Along with the ecological focus the life and experiences of St Francis in a Lenten and an Advent programme gave deeper insight into his life and his passionate love of Jesus, his vision and the growth of the environmental movement following in his footsteps. 

I composed STATIONS OF THE CROSS for Families quite early on, relating each Jesus incident to a family situation, e.g. betrayal, offering help, being forced to help, falling down and getting up. They are still used here and there, in different local languages, as is needed in the Church in Southern Africa. Some years after I became widowed I composed STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR THOSE WHO ARE WIDOWED, from my own experience. This was also translated into other languages. After the Covid pandemic and the growth in the number of deaths and the very painful experience of bereavement I adapted this booklet to become STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR THOSE WHO ARE BEREAVED.  These were recorded and are still broadcast regularly on Radio Veritas, our South African Catholic Radio Station. I adopted the SEE-JUDGE-ACT- or Pastoral Cycle approach quite early and the process of linking faith and daily life runs through all the MARFAM publications over these many years.  Some are still available from our shop.  @

Lent, Holy Week, Easter in the family were part of our life when our children were growing up, something that sadly petered out as they left home and went their own ways.   We had Family Prayer Meals, as a form of Paschal meals, something popular in parish life in recent years. I also enjoyed many an Easter Saturday with the kids, making chocolate eggs, bunnies and Easter gardens and more.   

Church music was a way of life for me for over 60 years, for Chris and me and at times our children in our local church choir too where Chris loved to conduct. I’m still disappointed that the music of the Holy Week and Easter celebrations is no longer what it was, but a special joy is being able to participate in Handel’s MESSIAH once again, at this year’s Symphony Choir’s Easter concert.  

I think everyone has their special ways to live their Lent and Easter journey, their Paschal Mystery with Jesus experiencing times of agony, abandonment, loneliness and new life.  Apart from participating in the liturgy mine has involved writing poem prayers, stories and singing. I hope that this 2024 Holy Week, reflecting on the horrific and inhumane acts of war, continuing day after day, will be brought to an end as God hears our prayers, and sacrifices for peace are taken to heart at every level. Jesus wept over Jerusalem 2000 years ago and he is forced to do so still, over Jerusalem, Gaza, Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, DRC, Haiti and more. Does he not weep too for many of us?  Does he weep for the devastation climate change is causing in so many places? Can we not raise our minds and hearts to God and pray more and more earnestly that the Paschal mystery lived in so many homes and families, even shacks and tents all over the world, may once again lead to Resurrection, new life and peace.   TR 27 March 2024. Family Weekly e-newsletter.         

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY. WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK.

March 27. Wednesday of Holy Week.   In our day just as it was 2000 years ago in Jesus’ time, while much of the worldwide turmoil is about power and greed much is also ideological. Different and conflicting perspectives determine how we act, often in the name of religion, claiming that God is on my side, even a Christian, Jewish or Muslim God.  Opposing sides inflict horrific injuries and are prepared to sacrifice even their own lives for a cause, or as suicide bombers. Is this truly God-centred, fraternal, ubuntu, true religion?

We are conscious too of the constant message of Pope Francis, of the Father’s mercy, and justice for the poor and disadvantaged. He preaches tolerance of differences and peaceful resolutions to conflict as the only answer in our time. On the domestic front, at this time of campaigning for a political party in the runup to the election, a culture of violence cannot be God’s will.  Are we striving for peace, justice and greater tolerance?   

Read, reflect, share and pray. Morning by morning he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious. I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who struck me and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God helps me.   From Isaiah 50:4-9 the 3rd Song of the Servant. Pope Francis: The effort to seek God with a sincere heart, provided it is never sullied by ideological or self-serving aims, helps us to recognize one another as travelling companions. FT 274 Choose appropriate action..