September 11.  Skills building is a common activity in secular life but possibly not taken seriously enough in our spiritual and relational lives.  What skills are needed for a successful marriage and happy family?   Communication in marriage is particularly necessary. Listening and talking, sharing feelings, decision-making as a personal and mutual practical skill, but also deciding to trust, to love, to be responsive and other-centred. Reciprocity is more important here than in any other kind of relationship. Like every other living family unit in nature, the human family too is called upon to develop and grow as it has to deal with all the current issues such as environmental awareness and climate change.    

Jesus said, “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation upon rock and when a flood arose the stream broke against that house and could not shake it. He who does not do this is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.   Luke 6:43-49.  

 Pope Francis: Trained lay leaders and professionals, especially those with practical experience, help keep pastoral initiatives grounded in the real situations and concrete concerns of families.   Good pastoral training is important especially in the light of particular emergency situations arising from domestic violence and sexual abuse. Al 204.  Greater investment needs to be made in research aimed at understanding more fully the functioning of ecosystems and analysing modifications of the environment. Because all creatures are connected each must be cherished with love and respect for all of us as living creatures are dependent on one another and have responsibility for others.  LS41

ECO-TIP AND PRAYER: Conduct a “carbon footprint” exercise and adjust where needed. Pray for commitment to change. Glory be…