A SHORT JUBILEE PRAYER FOR FAMILIES

Father in heaven,
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 help us to plant the seeds of the gospel, to care for and nurture them and so transform the whole of creation as a Family of Families.

Jesus told his disciples, “Love one another, as I have loved you.” This month of February, the month of love, am I filling the world with heart-felt love as Jesus did, and with hope as the Jubilee prayer calls us to do?  

I want to unpack the Jubilee prayer, beautiful as it is, but to shorten and simplify it a bit for family use.  Can the KISS principle apply, i.e. Keep It Simple Stupid. Like so many common prayers it seems to be too long and wordy? Do we need the length to include the depth of meaning?  The same applies to my THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY published daily. l do get the comment, “too long,” but at the same time I find the very short one-liners or the many spiritual nosegays that fill our inboxes and load our whatsapps don’t get to touch my heart. You glance at or skim through and move on. But at least you do that much, whereas if a reflection is too long for today’s bite-size reading culture one may not get past the 1st few lines, no matter how meaningful it potentially is.

How does one reach the spirit or the heart, as Pope Francis laid out in great detail in his document Dilexit Nos,  We are Loved,  on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, his human and divine love. It is long but still a powerful read, making the important point that the human heart does and should matter in our thinking and relating. The heart is too often neglected in a world of reason, logic, minds and words, discussion and debate.   (From DN 10)     Right now there are a number of occasions to employ the heart in the special commemorations of this time.

We are in the middle of the Marriage Week 7-14 Feb, of the US Catholic Bishops’ Conference and some of us in SA did get on board and celebrate a special World Marriage Day on Sunday 9th February with a focus on Jesus’  words, Love one another as I have loved you. On behalf of the parish 2 couples renewed their marriage vows and two couples to deepen their commitment before their wedding day. Other talks followed too.  The US Marriage Week programme offered a 7 day retreat with reflections for couples. Check out www.foryourmarriage.org. One of the themes being was beauty. In this light, any desire we feel to share in beautiful things–whether in the liturgy, our homes, our creative pursuits, or in our admiration for the physical beauty of our spouse–is not frivolous or unimportant. In fact, it’s an invitation to share in the nature of the one who is all beauty. I call this an “appeal to the heart.” “Beauty stirs something within us; an ache for meaning and for the infinite. We are made for eternal life, and so these longings draw us into our identity and purpose.

Then I came across an intriguing article in America, the Jesuit review called, “Catholic kitsch: Why simple religious art is actually great.” I agree with some of that from a heart perspective, but only up to a point. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is often quoted. Taste in religious art, music, prayers and spiritual reading is subjective, personal and should speak to the heart, in order to contribute to one’s spiritual journey.  I admit to being a religious snob in what I consider beautiful and my taste is for European and classical choral music and art, not for what I see as kitsch. But do friends and our children and grandchildren have the same taste as we have?  Not likely but still, maybe some of the simple prayers, songs and special images, kitsch or not,  that they grew up will remain meaningful to them over the years. Maybe families still greet God with  a simple child-like grace at mealtimes or a morning or night prayer from way back.  Maybe some special memento of granny’s or a medal or holy card can still tug at their heart strings.  We need to accept that our spirituality is not all “religious” in the stricter sense.   Love songs secular or religious can revive anyone’s drooping spirit. One of my very favourite and most heart-rending songs still puts a lump in my throat when I sing to myself, “if we only have love we can melt all the guns and then build a new world for our daughters and sons.”  Jacques Brel composed this in the 1950s.

Pope Francis although noted to be in poor health is having a hectic week.  For him it began with the Jubilee for Armed Forces, where he thanked them and encouraged the 30 000 men and women from more than 100 countries, with a call “to have the courage to be peacemakers who never lose sight of their purpose to save and protect lives. Be vigilant not to be taken in by the illusion of power and the roar of arms… Be vigilant lest you be poisoned by propaganda that instils hatred, divides the world into friends to be defended and foes to fight.”   

11th February was the World Day of Prayer for the Sick and his message states,  “On this Day let us remember that ‘hope does not disappoint’ (Romans 5:5), and through prayer, we can offer strength and comfort to those facing illness, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles, and that God’s healing presence is always with them.”

14th February is of course Valentine’s Day,  and already in his 2016 document Amoris Laetitia,   he made reference to the wisdom of the secular world which does recognize the beauty and gift of love.  The 16-18th is the Jubilee for Artists and culture. Beauty in all its forms and the talents of musicians, painters, sculptures and writers is celebrated, while not forgetting the many creators in the modern media and entertainment world.  Those visiting Rome have a veritable feast ahead but may this jubilee also be honoured in our home countries and settings too.      

      Our world, politically, socially and also environmentally, right now is not at peace with itself, focused much more on war and disasters, natural or man-made.   We are possibly hardly conscious of love and beauty but that is where and when the message that “hope does not disappoint” must sustain our spirits and warms our hearts as we practice to live out the invitation and challenge “Love one another as I have loved you.”     TR  Family Weekly 12 February 2025

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

February 12. Jeannette and David had tried unsuccessfully for some years to become pregnant.  She said, “Have you thought about it that after God created mankind as male and female he blessed them.  Then he told them to be fruitful, but that hasn’t happened to us. yet. Do we ever ask God to bless our love-making so that it can be fruitful?” “That is a great idea, even though it feels a bit strange,” David replied.  “Maybe our fertility treatment has become too technical and theoretical.   Maybe we could rely more on God’s providence.  What is really God’s will for us?”  

Reflect, share. Scripture: Genesis 2:4b-9.   The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden’ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”   Pope Francis to Pontifical Academy for Life.  The many extraordinary resources made available to human beings by scientific and technological research could overshadow the joy of fraternal sharing and the beauty of common undertakings, unless they find their meaning in advancing that joy and beauty. Prayer and action.  Pray for guidance in all decisions regarding children.  Choose appropriate action.