MARFAM FAMILY MATTERS E-NEWSLETTER 7 AUGUST 2024.   

In July my and MARFAM’s focus – apart from my big 80 birthday – was on grandparents from a variety of different perspectives, the good, the sad and the bad too, as Pope Francis in his special message focused on the difficult side of many of the lives of the elderly.   My birthday was a joyous occasion with tea at Veritas and so many of my dispersed family making the effort to join us locals and be together, even my new great-granddaughter.   A serious note, though, was my particular inclusion of the climate change, the environment and my BECOMING ECO FRIENDLY FAMILIES campaign.  We  offered the guests a little succulent plant and a thank you card inviting us to LOOK AT THE WORLD & KEEP LOOKING!   That is what I and some of the family did in the Pilanesberg National Park looking for wild life while also enjoying the good life. 

The MARFAM August theme is SEXUALITY, A FAMILY GIFT.  This is my contribution to Women’s Month in South Africa as, in the case of youth, parents, men and women, I prefer to look at everything with family eyes!  Sure, women’s issues matter, but not in isolation, rather in a context which includes relationships and is almost always influenced by gender which remains an indispensable aspect of anyone’s identity.  Sexuality is a 9 letter word, sex only 3, and that indicates the difference in understanding and meaning. 

A few days in nature also raises awareness of the life of animals and plants.   We may be chasing around ticking off our sightings of the big five,  lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo or noting the ripping up of so many trees by the great number of elephants.  I’ve never seen so many, lone males and small or larger family herds with babies and juveniles.  Every day each adult eats about half a ton of plant material and needs to drink 65 litres of water to provide, protect and help their families to thrive.   The task of the Parks board is to make the conditions conducive for all forms and aspects of wild life, large and small animals,  vegetation that suits their taste and can maintain the optimum balance in current climactic conditions.   Fires are necessary at times and controlled burning is done, but neglect and not following the rules about braai and picnic fires can result in massive disasters such as the fire at this time last year which was driven by high winds and destroyed large parts of the park and even parts of one of the resorts.   Fortunately it appears no big game was lost but plenty of smaller and even minute creatures suffered loss and plants and trees need time to recover.  

Life is.  Almost all life is sexual in its beginnings and also remains sexual in the way creatures interact, care for one another and their families or fight for possession.   Life is.  Life is sometimes cruel to be kind.  Wild life does not have the conscious natural ability that we humans have, and for which we have to take responsibility.   Women’s role in families and society needs a balance, it needs to be protected and nurtured for wellbeing, physical, mental and also spiritual.  The incidence of gender-based violence has already been raised at the start of this month, as it is done every year with promises to take action.   Is it a women’s issue, a men’s issue or a family issue?   My answer is ideally a family issue, if we regard sexuality as a family gift.    TR

A special women’s Day prayer: PRAYER FOR THE WOMEN OF SOUTH AFRICA

Almighty God, You are father and mother to us, your children. We thank you for the particular and special gifts you have given to women,   the gift of nurturing life, of sustaining and supporting life,   the qualities of compassion, commitment, generosity and a willingness to share.

As they progress towards their rightful place in society we request your blessing on all women   that they may continue also to hold their rightful place in the family.   that women and men together may build a society   which will bring about the Kingdom You have promised us.

We call on Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who nurtured and cared for her son and now reigns with Him in heaven   to inspire the women of South Africa,   to pray with them in their joys and in their struggles,   and to intercede for them with her Son. Mary, Queen assumed into heaven, patroness of South Africa, pray for us.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY. RACISM AND SEXISM

August 7.  Racism and sexism. Angela referred to a discussion on discrimination with some of the catechists   As they were a mixed cultural parish Fr Joseph was interested in their opinions and he had shared some of those in his Sunday homily.   “Deep down inside ourselves how do we look at men and women of different races and cultures?  Do we respect a German woman differently from a Nigerian woman?  Do we take a Chinese man or a Zulu more seriously?   What is our attitude towards people but also towards them as “gendered” people? I think that in the last twenty years we have become more accepting and tolerant but I don’t know if that applies to the sexes.  Jesus lived in a racist society too, where Canaanites were not acceptable to the Jews and for a Canaanite woman to approach him for her sick daughter might even have been a shock.  I wonder too, if there is discrimination between different species in nature?”

Reflect, share, scripture:  Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  The Canaanite woman replied, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”  Then Jesus answered, “O woman great is your faith! Let it be done as you desire.” Matt 15:21-28.  Pope Francis. The equal dignity of men and women makes us rejoice to see old forms of discrimination disappear and within families there is a growing reciprocity. AL54  ACTION AND PRAYER.  Do an examination of conscience on the issue of racism and sexism.