MARFAM WISHES ALL GRANDPARENTS AND ELDERLY A BLESSED DAY.

July 23. 16th Sunday A. DAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THE ELDERLY. Theme “His mercy from age to age.”  Pope Francis chose the theme to be in tune with that of World Youth Day in Lisbon: Mary arose and went with haste, taken from Luke’s Gospel. His mercy from age to age” is also taken from Luke’s Gospel and is the end of the first part of the Magnificat, when Mary immediately goes to meet her elderly cousin Elizabeth after the Angel’s annunciation. Thus, it is a theme that highlights the importance of dialogue between generations, which is fundamental for perceiving and contemplating God’s merciful action on behalf of human beings. Indeed, dialogue between the elderly and the young helps to obtain a more complete vision of the way in which a more humane and fraternal society can be built.

See Praying for Grandchildren and Grandparents Blessing and Prayer on www.marfam.org.za.  The family must always be a place where when something good happens to one of its members they know that others will be there to celebrate with them. AL 110

God’s patience and our impatience.  This time in his homily Fr Fidelis commented, “So many farming stories.  That was the traditional way that previous generations and many families lived long ago, growing their own food, bartering for what they needed and with each one having their own task to do. Were they the “good old days”, or the “bad old days” in your opinion? Then sometimes there was an enemy, maybe a jealous neighbour who would sabotage the crop. In this parable Jesus is telling us not to hoe and weed but let the weeds grow up together with the wheat and then separate them. He is referring to life in the world, where good and evil live side by side and it is almost impossible to weed out the evil.  Does that mean we elderly have to lead by example or depend on the young?   Do we continue to fight corruption, give up or trust that in the end God’s justice will triumph and all will be resolved? What do you think?”  Reflect, share, act. Scripture: Jesus put another parable before the crowd.  “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping his enemy can and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  Matthew 13: 24- 43.  Pope Francis.  The Church does not restrict her mission to the private sphere.  She cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the building of a better work or fail to reawaken the spiritual energy that can contribute to the betterment of society.  We want to be a Church that serves, that leaves home and goes forth from its places of worship in order accompany life, to sustain hope, to be the sign of unity, to build bridges, to break down walls, to sow seeds of reconciliation;. FT 276.