20 March. SEE.  Wisdom and true listening. .  Family members, especially in larger families can live separate lives, even if they are in the same house.  Time to talk, to pray and share is always a challenge. Different members grow in different ways in their faith and some can even become a challenge to others when they try harder to grow spiritually. Conflicts and power struggles arise over many issues, large and small.  As recommended by Pope Francis Fr Fidelis had promoted the 24 hours with the Lord on 4th Sunday of Lent. There was an opportunity for confession for Catholics but Fr was strongly encouraging families to put aside time for reconciliation in the family using a Family Reconciliation service he had provided.

JUDGE, reflect and share. Scripture: Ungodly men reasoned unsoundly. Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions. Thus they reasoned but they were led astray for their wickedness blinded them and they did not know the secret purposes of God. Wisdom  2:1-22.  Pope Francis:   True wisdom demands an encounter with reality.  Today everything can be created, disguised and altered. A mechanism of selection then comes into play, whereby I can separate likes from dislikes. We must not lose our ability to listen. FT48. StFrancis did not wage a war of words aimed at imposing doctrines he simply spread the love of God. “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God.”  In this way he became a father to all and inspired the vision of a fraternal society.  St Francis heard the voice of God, he heard the voice of the poor, he heard the voice of the infirm and the voice of nature.  FT 48. Pope Leo:  Many today call “realistic” those narratives devoid of hope, blind to the beauty of others and forgetful of God’s grace, which is always at work in human hearts, even though wounded by sin.  St Augustine urged Christians to forge an unbreakable bond with peace, so that by cherishing it deeply in their hearts they would be able to radiate its luminous warmth around them.  He wrote, “If you wish to draw others to peace, first have it yourselves, be steadfast in peace yourselves.   To inflame others, you must have the flame burning within.”  PM  Reflect, share, act, pray. How well do we know how to listen to Gods word and to one another as Pope Leo proposed for Lent.   Practise some listening activities and conduct a simple reconciliation moment.  See below.  

RECONCILIATION IN THE FAMILY O FDownload