July 7. Family feuds. The group was discussing when you do something wrong how often it will come back “to bite you” as May said.  “I’ve seen it happen in our family too, especially with the grandchildren. They think they don’t need anyone but then they wish they were on better terms with their cousins. Like in the story of Joseph and his brothers who had been jealous of him as he was his father’s favourite. They wanted to kill him, but he was rescued and became famous as the governor of Egypt. The brothers then had to humble themselves before him and come begging when there was famine in their land.

“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he besought us and we would not listen. Therefore is this distress come upon us.” Gen 42:21.   Read the long story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis chapters 37 to 50.  

Pope Francis. Family communion can only be preserved and perfected through a spirit of sacrifice. There is no family that does not know how selfishness, discord, tension and conflict violently attack and at times mortally wound its own communion. We recognise that being able to forgive others implies the liberating experience of understanding and forgiving ourselves.  AL 106-7