Being Family

Sometimes Parishioners complain that they are tired of coming into a church in which social conversations are carried on in such a loud voice that they find it difficult to concentrate on their prayers.

As with most things it’s a matter of the proper balance. Sometimes we do forget that the purpose of our gathering is to worship God. Sometimes the chatter is carried too far. However, we also need to remember that we come to Mass to worship together, not as isolated individuals each praying our own set of prayers. There is a time for quiet, individual prayer but that is not the purpose of our Sunday Mass. The ritual of the Mass is, and always has been, the celebration of a meal and so we gather as the family of God. Therefore we need to remember that whatever we do is done together. It is appropriate that we take time for one another as we gather. We greet one another and we recognize that the church is first and foremost a gathering of God’s people. Often enough we find the Lord in the Eucharist that we receive and in the Word that we hear. It is also important to discover God’s presence in the people who have gathered in his name.

As we consider our own individual families, we remember that God has given us another family in our parish family. We should be able to think of this family as having a friendly face. It should be a gathering of God’s people that is filled with a welcoming spirit. Our expressed concern for one another, our hospitality as we gather, the way we respond and sing and pray as one are all signs that remind us that we are one family of God united in Jesus our Brother. We share our history together in the hearing of God’s word in Scripture. We share faith as we sing and pray together. We share together in the meal that is God’s gift of God’s own Son.

As we begin the new academic year, we focus on our parish families. We are looking forward to having the children back at their catechetical sessions, and the parents, hopefully refreshed from their vacations, ready to take on a new school year. As catechists we encourage family prayer together, so that the prayer which is experienced in liturgy is not the only prayer that is part of the families live’s.

Teach parents how to introduce prayer in their families with children of all ages, from infants to teens. Praying with Your Children is a practical and easy to use book that will make parents comfortable with family prayer.

Family Prayers and Activities contains reproducible pages for every week of the year. Send them home with the school or catechetical children, or insert them in the bulletin. This will give parents a structure in which to pray and teach about the faith in a fun way. There are discussion questions and activities which can be used for all ages. 

Family Advent-ures can be purchased for each family to use during Advent. This is a fun and meaningful way to celebrate the Advent season and prepare for Christmas. It can be used as part of the Advent wreath ceremony. It will make Advent a special season in itself. The children will look forward to each day’s advent-ure. 

When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
 When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!

****Pray it everyday for two weeks and see what the Lord will do!

You will want to pray it everyday…..not just two weeks:)

Dear God, 

Take my life and let me live

 serenely for today. Open my mind

to happy thoughts.

Take away my self-pity, I don’t

 want it. Take away my ill will

towards others. Make it possible

for me to feel joy, love, and

 compassion.

Help me to accept what is, to hold

 my tongue, to do my daily tasks,

and to let go with love. Take away

 my worry about the future. Help

 me realize that in your hands

 everything will be provided, that I

have no control over anything but

 myself, that today is precious and

will soon be gone.

Help me to remember that all

 hatred and pain directed at me is

the hatred and pain the other

 person is feeling towards himself.

 Thank you for your willingness to

 accept my burdens and lighten my

 load. Amen.

Hearing God’s voice in a Busy World…………..

Have you ever noticed how quickly people can react when the phone rings? Have you ever “dropped everything” to answer? Some calls are urgent. Others are simply invitations to chat. Whatever the purpose of the call, we want to ensure that we have the chance to respond. With the advent of answering machines, caller ID, and e-mail, we are nearly guaranteed not to miss a single message. If telephone calls from family and friends are so important to us, how much more so are the messages God wants to give us and the conversations he wants to have with us!

Many people have lost a sense that God wants to speak to them on a daily basis. Although many Christians know that they should pray, they may lack confidence that they can actually hear from God. How can we discern the Holy Spirit’s/God’s voice from that of others?” …..Taking It Personally, How Your Catholic Faith Can Transform You byLeo Zanchettin

CONSIDER THE PAST 24 HOURS….

I know that God has been present to me because this is Jesus’ promise. Have I felt, seen, or acknowledged His presence during the last 24 hours? Was He present in some situation, person, or suffering? Did I realize that presence and give Him thanks at that moment? Or have I spent these last 24 hours totally unaware of God’s presence in my life? If I have acknowledged Him, let me now give more thanks and praise. If I have not acknowledged Him, let me ask for forgiveness. Then let me recommit to TRY to acknowledge His presence in the coming 24 hours. “O Lord, help me to be more aware of your saving, personal presence in my life every day.”