July 11.   Anna asked herself, “Why is it often only for funerals that families come together? Long ago families were more close and met more often also across the generations. In those days many sons and daughters and wives and kids and all the men experienced a strong sense of belonging.   The pace of modern life and the fact that many move around much more make it more difficult to keep in touch regularly and physically.  But social media and cellphones do make it easier to communicate at least in that way.  The value of family belonging still exists.

Scripture: Jacob and all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. Joseph made ready his chariot and went to meet Israel his father, fell on his neck and wept. Israel (Jacob) then said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.” Gen 46: 28-30 From the story of Jacob, Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 37 to 50.  Pope Francis. Our elderly are men and women, fathers and mothers, who came before us on our own road, in our own house, in our daily battle for a worthy life. “How I would like a Church that challenges the throw-away culture by the overflowing joy of a new embrace between young and old”.  AL 191.  In highly industrialized societies, where the number of elderly persons is growing even as the birth rate declines, they can be regarded as a burden.  The care they require often puts a strain on their loved ones.  The elderly who are vulnerable and dependent are at times unfairly exploited for economic advantage. AL 48. JUBILEE. Sacred Scripture states: “You have taught your people that the righteous must be kind, and you have filled your children with good hope, because you give repentance for sins, so that… when we are judged, we may expect mercy” ( Wis 12:19.22). In the words of Benedict XVI: “At the moment of judgement we experience and we absorb the overwhelming power of his love over all the evil in the world and in ourselves. The pain of love becomes our salvation and our joy”. SNC 22    Act and pray. For the needs of families, especially grandparents and the elderly.