March 4. Shrove Tuesday. No one who has left house or brothers or sisters or smother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the gospel who will not received a hundredfold.  The  new bishop In his Lenten pastoral letter wrote, “This month in SA is Human Rights month, but we, in our Church, can make it FAMILY RIGHTS FOR PILGRIMS OF HOPE AND SIGNS OF HOPE. I recommend that parishes , through their PPCs and different desks combine for Lenten reflections on this. That is one way to promote the Jubilee of Hope too with the topic of rights and justice, day by day.,  

Reflect, share and act.  Scripture: No one wo has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father, or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, house and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:28-31: Charter of Family Rights Article.  The rights of the person, even though they are expressed as rights of the individual have a fundamental social dimension which finds an innate and vital expression in the family.  Pope Francis: JUBILEE.   As the Second Vatican Council observed: “In every age, the Church has the responsibility of reading the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel. In this way, in language adapted to every generation, she can respond to people’s persistent questions about the meaning of this present life and of the life to come, and how one is related to the other”.  SNC 7.   Prayer and action. Pray for a right and just balance in life. Choose appropriate action. As this is Shrove Tuesday enjoy and commemorate as Pancake Tuesday in the family.

A JUBILEE PRAYER FOR FAMILIES.   

May the FAITH you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of LOVE enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, awaken in us the HOPE for the coming of your KINGDOM of love, peace and beauty. As PILGRIMS OF HOPE and SIGNS OF HOPE in our families help us to plant the seeds of the gospel, to care for and nurture them and so transform the Church, the world and all of creation.  Amen

For more suggestions on Jubilee, Families and Lent go to https://marfam.org.za/2025-lent-jubilee-and-families/