The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason too it can and should be called "the domestic Church." (21)- John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
I feel that I must ask for a particular effort in this field from the sons and daughters of the Church. Faith gives them full knowledge of God's wonderful plan: they therefore have an extra reason for caring for the reality that is the family in this time of trial and of grace.What a noble challenge by our then Holy Father!He understood the importance of family. In his 1994 Letter to Families during the Year of the Family, Pope John Paul II even described the family as a mystery and as an experience of love:
The family itself is the great mystery of God. As the "domestic church", it is the bride of Christ. The universal Church, and every particular Church in her, is most immediately revealed as the bride of Christ in the "domestic church" and in its experience of love: conjugal love, paternal and maternal love, fraternal love, the love of a community of persons and of generations. (19)It's interesting that he chose the words 'mystery' and 'love' to describe a family -- two words that we could just as easily use to describe God Himself. And curiously, like the love between a husband and wife mirroring that of the love between the members of the Trinity, we may even say the love between family members mirrors that of God's love for us.A family is holy. God even chose to live in a family, and live most of his life hidden in a family setting! Regardless of how we rate our own family experience, the family is an irreplaceable treasure in our society. A domestic church. A mystery. Love.... just something to think about this family day.
Cette semaine était célébrée la solennité de la Présentation du Seigneur, à laquelle est liée la journée mondiale de la Vie consacrée. Ce n’est pas un hasard si ces deux événements coïncident. L’épisode biblique de la Présentation du Seigneur abrite un ensemble de personnes dont la vie est donnée toute entière à Dieu, et chacun porte une mission unique.